Configuring positioning measurements and reports

ABSTRACT

Apparatuses, methods, and systems are disclosed for configuring positioning measurements and reports. One apparatus includes a transceiver that receives an uplink (“UL”) configured grant configuration based on criteria associated with at least one of a measurement priority order, a positioning latency budget, and a positioning processing timeline for the UE. The apparatus includes a processor that performs at least one positioning measurement for the UE according to at least one of the measurement priority order and the positioning processing timeline and generates a positioning measurement report comprising the at least one positioning measurement. The transceiver sends the positioning measurement report to the mobile wireless communication network using the UL configured grant configuration based on an availability of positioning-related reference signal measurements based on at least one of the measurement priority order and the positioning processing timeline.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 63/076,683, entitled “UE PROCESSING ENHANCEMENTS FORPOSITIONING” and filed on Sep. 10, 2020, for Robin Thomas et al., andUnited States Provisional Patent Application No. 63/076,575, entitled“UE REPORTING ENHANCEMENTS FOR POSITIONING” and filed on Sep. 10, 2020,for Robin Thomas et al., which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to wirelesscommunications and more particularly relates to configuring positioningmeasurements and reports.

BACKGROUND

In certain wireless communication systems, Radio Access Technology(“RAT”) dependent positioning using 3GPP New Radio (“NR”) technology issupported in specifications. The specifications may define certainrequirements for positioning measurements and reports, which may includeaccuracy, latency, and reliability positioning requirements.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Disclosed are procedures for configuring positioning measurements andreports. The procedures may be implemented by apparatus, systems,methods, or computer program products.

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a transceiver that receives,from a mobile wireless communication network, a positioningconfiguration defining a positioning configuration timeline and ameasurement and processing time window for the UE. The positioningconfiguration may include a timeline duration defining when to startperforming measurements, a set of positioning measurements to be takenwithin the configured time window, and a window duration for measuringand processing requested position-relation measurements for the UEaccording to the positioning processing timeline.

In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a processor that performs atleast one positioning measurement for the UE according to thepositioning processing timeline in response to receiving the positioningconfiguration. In certain embodiments, the transceiver sends apositioning measurement report comprising the at least one positioningmeasurement and measurement timeline performed of the at least onepositioning measurement within the configured time window from the UE tothe mobile wireless communication network.

In one embodiment, another apparatus includes a transceiver that sends,to a User Equipment (“UE”) device, a positioning configuration defininga positioning configuration timeline and a measurement and processingtime window for the UE. In one embodiment, the positioning configurationcomprising a timeline duration defining when to start performingmeasurements, a set of positioning measurements to be taken within theconfigured time window, and a window duration for measuring andprocessing requested position-relation measurements for the UE accordingto the positioning processing timeline. In one embodiment, thetransceiver receives, from the UE device, a positioning measurementreport comprising the at least one positioning measurement andmeasurement timeline of the at least one positioning measurementperformed within the configured time window.

In one embodiment, another apparatus includes a transceiver thatreceives, from a mobile wireless communication network, an uplink (“UL”)configured grant configuration based on criteria associated with atleast one of a positioning latency budget and a positioning processingtimeline for the UE. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes aprocessor that performs at least one positioning measurement for the UEaccording to the positioning processing timeline and generates apositioning measurement report comprising the at least one positioningmeasurement. In certain embodiments, the transceiver sends thepositioning measurement report to the mobile wireless communicationnetwork using the UL configured grant configuration based on anavailability of positioning-related reference signal measurements withinat least one of the positioning latency budget and the positioningprocessing timeline.

In one embodiment, another embodiment includes a transceiver that sends,to a User Equipment (“UE”) device, an uplink (“UL”) configured grantconfiguration based on criteria associated with at least one of apositioning latency budget and a positioning processing timeline for theUE and receives a positioning measurement report from the UE deviceusing the UL configured grant configuration based on an availability ofpositioning-related reference signal measurements within at least one ofthe positioning latency budget and the positioning processing timeline.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more particular description of the embodiments briefly described abovewill be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that areillustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawingsdepict only some embodiments and are not therefore to be considered tobe limiting of scope, the embodiments will be described and explainedwith additional specificity and detail through the use of theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of awireless communication system for configuring positioning measurementsand reports;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a 5G New Radio(“NR”) protocol stack;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of NR Beam-basedPositioning;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of DL-TDOA AssistanceData;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of DL-TDOA MeasurementReport;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of UE-assistedPositioning for configuring, measuring, and processing positioningmeasurements and sending reports;

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of UE-based Positioningfor configuring, measuring, and processing positioning measurements andsending reports;

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of UE positioningprocessing timeline with MG configuration for configuring, measuring,and processing positioning measurements and sending reports;

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of dynamic positioningmeasurement reporting based on UL CG for configuring, measuring, andprocessing positioning measurements and sending reports;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a userequipment apparatus that may be used for configuring, measuring, andprocessing positioning measurements and sending reports;

FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a networkequipment apparatus that may be used for configuring, measuring, andprocessing positioning measurements and sending reports;

FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a first methodfor configuring, measuring, and processing positioning measurements andsending reports;

FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a secondmethod for configuring, measuring, and processing positioningmeasurements and sending reports;

FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a third methodfor configuring, measuring, and processing positioning measurements andsending reports;

FIG. 15 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a fourthmethod for configuring, measuring, and processing positioningmeasurements and sending reports.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of theembodiments may be embodied as a system, apparatus, method, or programproduct. Accordingly, embodiments may take the form of an entirelyhardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (includingfirmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodimentcombining software and hardware aspects.

For example, the disclosed embodiments may be implemented as a hardwarecircuit comprising custom very-large-scale integration (“VLSI”) circuitsor gate arrays, off-the-shelf semiconductors such as logic chips,transistors, or other discrete components. The disclosed embodiments mayalso be implemented in programmable hardware devices such as fieldprogrammable gate arrays, programmable array logic, programmable logicdevices, or the like. As another example, the disclosed embodiments mayinclude one or more physical or logical blocks of executable code whichmay, for instance, be organized as an object, procedure, or function.

Furthermore, embodiments may take the form of a program product embodiedin one or more computer readable storage devices storing machinereadable code, computer readable code, and/or program code, referredhereafter as code. The storage devices may be tangible, non-transitory,and/or non-transmission. The storage devices may not embody signals. Ina certain embodiment, the storage devices only employ signals foraccessing code.

Any combination of one or more computer readable medium may be utilized.The computer readable medium may be a computer readable storage medium.The computer readable storage medium may be a storage device storing thecode. The storage device may be, for example, but not limited to, anelectronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, holographic,micromechanical, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or anysuitable combination of the foregoing.

More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the storage devicewould include the following: an electrical connection having one or morewires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random-access memory(“RAM”), a read-only memory (“ROM”), an erasable programmable read-onlymemory (“EPROM” or Flash memory), a portable compact disc read-onlymemory (“CD-ROM”), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device,or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of thisdocument, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible mediumthat can contain or store a program for use by or in connection with aninstruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

Code for carrying out operations for embodiments may be any number oflines and may be written in any combination of one or more programminglanguages including an object-oriented programming language such asPython, Ruby, Java, Smalltalk, C++, or the like, and conventionalprocedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language,or the like, and/or machine languages such as assembly languages. Thecode may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user'scomputer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user'scomputer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remotecomputer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may beconnected to the user's computer through any type of network, includinga local area network (“LAN”), wireless LAN (“WLAN”), or a wide areanetwork (“WAN”), or the connection may be made to an external computer(for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider(“ISP”)).

Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics ofthe embodiments may be combined in any suitable manner. In the followingdescription, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples ofprogramming, software modules, user selections, network transactions,database queries, database structures, hardware modules, hardwarecircuits, hardware chips, etc., to provide a thorough understanding ofembodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however,that embodiments may be practiced without one or more of the specificdetails, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. Inother instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are notshown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of anembodiment.

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “anembodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature,structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodimentis included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases“in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughoutthis specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the sameembodiment, but mean “one or more but not all embodiments” unlessexpressly specified otherwise. The terms “including,” “comprising,”“having,” and variations thereof mean “including but not limited to,”unless expressly specified otherwise. An enumerated listing of itemsdoes not imply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive,unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “a,” “an,” and “the”also refer to “one or more” unless expressly specified otherwise.

As used herein, a list with a conjunction of “and/or” includes anysingle item in the list or a combination of items in the list. Forexample, a list of A, B and/or C includes only A, only B, only C, acombination of A and B, a combination of B and C, a combination of A andC or a combination of A, B and C. As used herein, a list using theterminology “one or more of” includes any single item in the list or acombination of items in the list. For example, one or more of A, B and Cincludes only A, only B, only C, a combination of A and B, a combinationof B and C, a combination of A and C or a combination of A, B and C. Asused herein, a list using the terminology “one of” includes one and onlyone of any single item in the list. For example, “one of A, B and C”includes only A, only B or only C and excludes combinations of A, B andC. As used herein, “a member selected from the group consisting of A, B,and C,” includes one and only one of A, B, or C, and excludescombinations of A, B, and C.” As used herein, “a member selected fromthe group consisting of A, B, and C and combinations thereof” includesonly A, only B, only C, a combination of A and B, a combination of B andC, a combination of A and C or a combination of A, B and C.

Aspects of the embodiments are described below with reference toschematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams of methods,apparatuses, systems, and program products according to embodiments. Itwill be understood that each block of the schematic flowchart diagramsand/or schematic block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theschematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams, can beimplemented by code. This code may be provided to a processor of ageneral-purpose computer, special purpose computer, or otherprogrammable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such thatthe instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer orother programmable data processing apparatus, create means forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart diagramsand/or block diagrams.

The code may also be stored in a storage device that can direct acomputer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devicesto function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored inthe storage device produce an article of manufacture includinginstructions which implement the function/act specified in the flowchartdiagrams and/or block diagrams.

The code may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable dataprocessing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series of operationalsteps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus, orother devices to produce a computer implemented process such that thecode which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatusprovide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in theflowchart diagrams and/or block diagrams.

The flowchart diagrams and/or block diagrams in the Figures illustratethe architecture, functionality, and operation of possibleimplementations of apparatuses, systems, methods, and program productsaccording to various embodiments. In this regard, each block in theflowchart diagrams and/or block diagrams may represent a module,segment, or portion of code, which includes one or more executableinstructions of the code for implementing the specified logicalfunction(s).

It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, thefunctions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in theFigures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, beexecuted substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes beexecuted in the reverse order, depending upon the functionalityinvolved. Other steps and methods may be conceived that are equivalentin function, logic, or effect to one or more blocks, or portionsthereof, of the illustrated Figures.

Although various arrow types and line types may be employed in theflowchart and/or block diagrams, they are understood not to limit thescope of the corresponding embodiments. Indeed, some arrows or otherconnectors may be used to indicate only the logical flow of the depictedembodiment. For instance, an arrow may indicate a waiting or monitoringperiod of unspecified duration between enumerated steps of the depictedembodiment. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagramsand/or flowchart diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the blockdiagrams and/or flowchart diagrams, can be implemented by specialpurpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions oracts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and code.

The description of elements in each figure may refer to elements ofproceeding figures. Like numbers refer to like elements in all figures,including alternate embodiments of like elements.

Generally, the present disclosure describes systems, methods, andapparatuses for configuring positioning measurements and reports. Incertain embodiments, the methods may be performed using computer codeembedded on a computer-readable medium. In certain embodiments, anapparatus or system may include a computer-readable medium containingcomputer-readable code which, when executed by a processor, causes theapparatus or system to perform at least a portion of the below describedsolutions.

In one embodiment, the subject matter disclosed herein describesenhancements that address issues related to the UE processing timelineof downlink (“DL”)-positioning reference signals (“PRS”) and/or otherrelated positioning-related reference signals. Different processingfunctionalities can address different latency and location accuracyrequirements. In certain embodiments, there have been no proposedenhancements regarding UE processing timeline configurations forRAT-dependent positioning procedures including measurement and reportingof positioning-related reference signals.

In one embodiment, to satisfy the requirements of low latencypositioning, it would be beneficial to define different UE processingtimelines depending on target-UE's capabilities. A target-UE(s) in thecontext of this disclosure may refer to the UE(s) to be localized. Thepresent disclosure aims to tackle this UE processing timeline issue forpositioning and introduces new functionality to enable low-latencypositioning. Furthermore, the UE positioning processing timeline may beapplicable to UE-assisted and UE-based positioning methods. The subjectmatter herein also describes management of the UE processing timelinewhen a measurement gap is configured to the target-UE for thepositioning purposes, which can also have an impact on the UE processingload.

In further embodiments, the subject matter disclosed herein describesenhancements that address the issues related to the high measurement andreporting latency of DL-PRS and/or other related positioning-relatedreference signals. Dynamic Layer-1/2 signaling can reduce the timerequired to process a measurement and report it to the location server.In certain embodiments, higher-layer non-access stratum (“NAS”) LPPsignaling is used to configure RAT-dependent measurement and reportingof positioning-related reference signals such as DL-PRS, which can beinefficient and incur high latency.

The delay between a UE receiving a DL-PRS measurement reportingconfiguration (e.g., in the case of UE-assisted positioning) or locationestimate request (e.g., in the case of UE-based positioning) and the UEproviding the said measurement report/location estimate to the locationserver, e.g., LMF, can be further optimized in order to reduce theoverall positioning latency (Time-To-First-Fix).

The present disclosure, in one embodiment, provides mechanisms to enabledynamic signaling to reduce the overall positioning latency whenprocessing the measurements and transmitting corresponding reports tolocation server. Uplink (“UL”) configured grants for positioning mayreduce the report transmission time, depending on the availability.Priority indications for measurement processing may also assist inranking which measurement reports can be prioritized based on the ULresource availability. In order to enable efficient and low latencyreporting of positioning-related reference signals, certain measurementsmay also be dropped based on a set of criteria, which is detailed in thedisclosure.

For Release 17 (“Rel-17”) of the 3GPP specification, the differentpositioning requirements are especially stringent with respect toaccuracy, latency, and reliability. Table 1 shows positioningperformance requirements for different scenarios in an Industrial IoT(“IIoT”) or indoor factory setting. Note that augmented reality in smartfactories may have a heading positioning performance requirements of<0.17 radians and mobile control panels with safety functions in smartfactories (within factory danger zones) may have a heading positioningperformance requirements of <0.54 radians.

TABLE 1 IIoT Positioning Performance Requirements Latency for positionCorresponding Horizontal Vertical estimation UE Positioning Scenarioaccuracy accuracy Availability of UE Speed Service Level Mobile controlpanels with <5 m <3 m 90% <5 s N/A Service Level 2 safety functions(non- danger zones) Process automation - plant <1 m <3 m 90% <2 s <30km/h Service Level 3 asset management Flexible, modular <1 m N/A 99% 1 s<30 km/h Service Level 3 assembly area in smart (relative factories (fortracking of positioning) tools at the work-place location) Augmentedreality in smart <1 m <3 m 99% <15 ms <10 km/h Service Level 4 factoriesMobile control panels with <1 m <3 m 99.9%  <1 s N/A Service Level 4safety functions in smart factories (within factory danger zones)Flexible, modular <50 cm <3 m 99% 1 s <30 km/h Service Level 5 assemblyarea in smart factories (for autonomous vehicles, only for monitoringproposes) Inbound logistics for <30 cm (if <3 m 99.9%  10 ms <30 km/hService Level 6 manufacturing (for driving supported trajectories (ifsupported by further by further sensors like sensors like camera, GNSS,IMU) of camera, indoor autonomous driving GNSS, systems)) IMU) Inboundlogistics for <20 cm <20 cm 99% <1 s <30 km/h Service Level 7manufacturing (for storage of goods)

The present disclosure provides enhancements to reduce the UE processingtimeline for positioning-related reference signals with an emphasis onlow-latency positioning. Note that for the purposes of this disclosure,a positioning-related reference signal may refer to a reference signalused for positioning procedures and/or purposes to estimate atarget-UE's location, e.g., PRS or based on existing reference signalssuch as sounding reference signal (“SRS”). In one embodiment, atarget-UE can be referred to as the device/entity to be localized.

In one embodiment, a method is disclosed to define processingtimeline(s) for positioning-related reference signals based on at leastone of a combination of following criteria:

-   -   i. One or more UE capabilities such as for an enhanced mobile        broadband (“eMBB”) device or an ultra-reliable and low-latency        communications (“URLLC”) device including:        -   1. Latency        -   2. Device efficiency    -   ii. Positioning accuracy requirements    -   iii. Number of positioning measurement related quantities to be        reported    -   iv. Type of measurement to be processed

In one embodiment, the present disclosure establishes and specifiesrequirements for processing position related measurements from a UEcapability point of view where the different positioning timelineconfigurations accommodate different positioning latency requirementsand UE capabilities.

In one embodiment, a method is disclosed to determine the appropriateresources for using the configured grant or multiple UL grants forreporting the PRS-based measurements, e.g., UL resources required toreport the ProvideLocation message. In such an embodiment, the instancefrom the time the measurements are available to report to obtaining theUL resource can be adapted and configured to enable low latencypositioning.

In certain embodiments, a method is disclosed for prioritization of PRSmeasurement reports based on the availability of UL resources, UEprocessing timeline, and accuracy requirements. In such an embodiment,priority handling mechanisms enable the LMF to acquire the positioningmeasurements within the required duration based on configuredpositioning method, especially in the case of UE-assisted positioningmethods.

In further embodiments, a method is disclosed for dropping measurementreports, based on a set of criteria, e.g., reports that are nottransmitted within the required timeline and positioning latency budget.In such an embodiment, obsolete measurements do not need to be stored inthe buffer, thus increasing efficiency of handling UE measurements.

FIG. 1 depicts a wireless communication system 100 for configuringpositioning measurements and reports, according to embodiments of thedisclosure. In one embodiment, the wireless communication system 100includes at least one remote unit 105, a radio access network (“RAN”)120, and a mobile core network 140. The RAN 120 and the mobile corenetwork 140 form a mobile communication network. The RAN 120 may becomposed of a base unit 121 with which the remote unit 105 communicatesusing wireless communication links 123. Even though a specific number ofremote units 105, base units 121, wireless communication links 123, RANs120, and mobile core networks 140 are depicted in FIG. 1 , one of skillin the art will recognize that any number of remote units 105, baseunits 121, wireless communication links 123, RANs 120, and mobile corenetworks 140 may be included in the wireless communication system 100.

In one implementation, the RAN 120 is compliant with the 5G systemspecified in the Third Generation Partnership Project (“3GPP”)specifications. For example, the RAN 120 may be a Next Generation RadioAccess Network (“NG-RAN”), implementing New Radio (“NR”) Radio AccessTechnology (“RAT”) and/or Long-Term Evolution (“LTE”) RAT. In anotherexample, the RAN 120 may include non-3GPP RAT (e.g., Wi-Fi® or Instituteof Electrical and Electronics Engineers (“IEEE”) 802.11-family compliantWLAN). In another implementation, the RAN 120 is compliant with the LTEsystem specified in the 3GPP specifications. More generally, however,the wireless communication system 100 may implement some other open orproprietary communication network, for example WorldwideInteroperability for Microwave Access (“WiMAX”) or IEEE 802.16-familystandards, among other networks. The present disclosure is not intendedto be limited to the implementation of any particular wirelesscommunication system architecture or protocol.

In one embodiment, the remote units 105 may include computing devices,such as desktop computers, laptop computers, personal digital assistants(“PDAs”), tablet computers, smart phones, smart televisions (e.g.,televisions connected to the Internet), smart appliances (e.g.,appliances connected to the Internet), set-top boxes, game consoles,security systems (including security cameras), vehicle on-boardcomputers, network devices (e.g., routers, switches, modems), or thelike. In some embodiments, the remote units 105 include wearabledevices, such as smart watches, fitness bands, optical head-mounteddisplays, or the like. Moreover, the remote units 105 may be referred toas the UEs, subscriber units, mobiles, mobile stations, users,terminals, mobile terminals, fixed terminals, subscriber stations, userterminals, wireless transmit/receive unit (“WTRU”), a device, or byother terminology used in the art. In various embodiments, the remoteunit 105 includes a subscriber identity and/or identification module(“SIM”) and the mobile equipment (“ME”) providing mobile terminationfunctions (e.g., radio transmission, handover, speech encoding anddecoding, error detection and correction, signaling and access to theSIM). In certain embodiments, the remote unit 105 may include a terminalequipment (“TE”) and/or be embedded in an appliance or device (e.g., acomputing device, as described above).

The remote units 105 may communicate directly with one or more of thebase units 121 in the RAN 120 via uplink (“UL”) and downlink (“DL”)communication signals. Furthermore, the UL and DL communication signalsmay be carried over the wireless communication links 123. Here, the RAN120 is an intermediate network that provides the remote units 105 withaccess to the mobile core network 140. As described in greater detailbelow, the base unit(s) 121 may provide a cell operating using a firstfrequency range and/or a cell operating using a second frequency range.

In some embodiments, the remote units 105 communicate with anapplication server 151 via a network connection with the mobile corenetwork 140. For example, an application 107 (e.g., web browser, mediaclient, telephone and/or Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (“VoIP”)application) in a remote unit 105 may trigger the remote unit 105 toestablish a protocol data unit (“PDU”) session (or other dataconnection) with the mobile core network 140 via the RAN 120. The mobilecore network 140 then relays traffic between the remote unit 105 and theapplication server 151 in the packet data network 150 using the PDUsession. The PDU session represents a logical connection between theremote unit 105 and the User Plane Function (“UPF”) 141.

In order to establish the PDU session (or PDN connection), the remoteunit 105 must be registered with the mobile core network 140 (alsoreferred to as “attached to the mobile core network” in the context of aFourth Generation (“4G”) system). Note that the remote unit 105 mayestablish one or more PDU sessions (or other data connections) with themobile core network 140. As such, the remote unit 105 may have at leastone PDU session for communicating with the packet data network 150. Theremote unit 105 may establish additional PDU sessions for communicatingwith other data networks and/or other communication peers.

In the context of a 5G system (“5GS”), the term “PDU Session” refers toa data connection that provides end-to-end (“E2E”) user plane (“UP”)connectivity between the remote unit 105 and a specific Data Network(“DN”) through the UPF 141. A PDU Session supports one or more Qualityof Service (“QoS”) Flows. In certain embodiments, there may be aone-to-one mapping between a QoS Flow and a QoS profile, such that allpackets belonging to a specific QoS Flow have the same 5G QoS Identifier(“5QI”).

In the context of a 4G/LTE system, such as the Evolved Packet System(“EPS”), a Packet Data Network (“PDN”) connection (also referred to asEPS session) provides E2E UP connectivity between the remote unit and aPDN. The PDN connectivity procedure establishes an EPS Bearer, i.e., atunnel between the remote unit 105 and a Packet Gateway (“PGW”, notshown) in the mobile core network 140. In certain embodiments, there isa one-to-one mapping between an EPS Bearer and a QoS profile, such thatall packets belonging to a specific EPS Bearer have the same QoS ClassIdentifier (“QCI”).

The base units 121 may be distributed over a geographic region. Incertain embodiments, a base unit 121 may also be referred to as anaccess terminal, an access point, a base, a base station, a Node-B(“NB”), an Evolved Node B (abbreviated as eNodeB or “eNB,” also known asEvolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (“E-UTRAN”) Node B),a 5G/NR Node B (“gNB”), a Home Node-B, a relay node, a RAN node, or byany other terminology used in the art. The base units 121 are generallypart of a RAN, such as the RAN 120, that may include one or morecontrollers communicably coupled to one or more corresponding base units121. These and other elements of radio access network are notillustrated but are well known generally by those having ordinary skillin the art. The base units 121 connect to the mobile core network 140via the RAN 120.

The base units 121 may serve a number of remote units 105 within aserving area, for example, a cell or a cell sector, via a wirelesscommunication link 123. The base units 121 may communicate directly withone or more of the remote units 105 via communication signals.Generally, the base units 121 transmit DL communication signals to servethe remote units 105 in the time, frequency, and/or spatial domain.Furthermore, the DL communication signals may be carried over thewireless communication links 123. The wireless communication links 123may be any suitable carrier in licensed or unlicensed radio spectrum.The wireless communication links 123 facilitate communication betweenone or more of the remote units 105 and/or one or more of the base units121. Note that during NR operation on unlicensed spectrum (referred toas “NR-U”), the base unit 121 and the remote unit 105 communicate overunlicensed (i.e., shared) radio spectrum.

In one embodiment, the mobile core network 140 is a 5GC or an EvolvedPacket Core (“EPC”), which may be coupled to a packet data network 150,like the Internet and private data networks, among other data networks.A remote unit 105 may have a subscription or other account with themobile core network 140. In various embodiments, each mobile corenetwork 140 belongs to a single mobile network operator (“MNO”). Thepresent disclosure is not intended to be limited to the implementationof any particular wireless communication system architecture orprotocol.

The mobile core network 140 includes several network functions (“NFs”).As depicted, the mobile core network 140 includes at least one UPF 141.The mobile core network 140 also includes multiple control plane (“CP”)functions including, but not limited to, an Access and MobilityManagement Function (“AMF”) 143 that serves the RAN 120, a SessionManagement Function (“SMF”) 145, a Location Management Function (“LMF”)144, a Unified Data Management function (“UDM″”) and a User DataRepository (“UDR”). Although specific numbers and types of networkfunctions are depicted in FIG. 1 , one of skill in the art willrecognize that any number and type of network functions may be includedin the mobile core network 140.

The UPF(s) 141 is/are responsible for packet routing and forwarding,packet inspection, QoS handling, and external PDU session forinterconnecting Data Network (DN), in the 5G architecture. The AMF 143is responsible for termination ofNAS signaling, NAS ciphering &integrity protection, registration management, connection management,mobility management, access authentication and authorization, securitycontext management. The SMF 145 is responsible for session management(i.e., session establishment, modification, release), remote unit (i.e.,UE) IP address allocation & management, DL data notification, andtraffic steering configuration of the UPF 141 for proper trafficrouting.

The LMF 144 receives positioning measurements or estimates from RAN 120and the remote unit 105 (e.g., via the AMF 143) and computes theposition ofthe remote unit 105. The UDM is responsible for generation ofAuthentication and Key Agreement (“AKA”) credentials, useridentification handling, access authorization, subscription management.The UDR is a repository of subscriber information and may be used toservice a number of network functions. For example, the UDR may storesubscription data, policy-related data, subscriber-related data that ispermitted to be exposed to third party applications, and the like. Insome embodiments, the UDM is co-located with the UDR, depicted ascombined entity “UDM/UDR” 149.

In various embodiments, the mobile core network 140 may also include aPolicy Control Function (“PCF”) (which provides policy rules to CPfunctions), a Network Repository Function (“NRF”) (which providesNetwork Function (“NF”) service registration and discovery, enabling NFsto identify appropriate services in one another and communicate witheach other over Application Programming Interfaces (“APIs”)), a NetworkExposure Function (“NEF”) (which is responsible for making network dataand resources easily accessible to customers and network partners), anAuthentication Server Function (“AUSF”), or other NFs defined for the5GC. When present, the AUSF may act as an authentication server and/orauthentication proxy, thereby allowing the AMF 143 to authenticate aremote unit 105. In certain embodiments, the mobile core network 140 mayinclude an authentication, authorization, and accounting (“AAA”) server.

In various embodiments, the mobile core network 140 supports differenttypes of mobile data connections and different types of network slices,wherein each mobile data connection utilizes a specific network slice.Here, a “network slice” refers to a portion of the mobile core network140 optimized for a certain traffic type or communication service. Forexample, one or more network slices may be optimized for enhanced mobilebroadband (“eMBB”) service. As another example, one or more networkslices may be optimized for ultra-reliable low-latency communication(“URLLC”) service. In other examples, a network slice may be optimizedfor machine-type communication (“MTC”) service, massive MTC (“mMTC”)service, Internet-of-Things (“IoT”) service. In yet other examples, anetwork slice may be deployed for a specific application service, avertical service, a specific use case, etc.

A network slice instance may be identified by a single-network sliceselection assistance information (“S-NSSAI”) while a set of networkslices for which the remote unit 105 is authorized to use is identifiedby network slice selection assistance information (“NSSAI”). Here,“NSSAI” refers to a vector value including one or more S-NSSAI values.In certain embodiments, the various network slices may include separateinstances of network functions, such as the SMF 145 and UPF 141. In someembodiments, the different network slices may share some common networkfunctions, such as the AMF 143. The different network slices are notshown in FIG. 1 for ease of illustration, but their support is assumed.

As discussed in greater detail below, the remote unit 105 receives apositioning measurement configuration 125 from the network (e.g., fromthe LMF 144 via RAN 120), including a positioning processing timelinefor the remote unit 105 based on the remote unit's capabilities. Theremote unit 105 performs positioning measurements, as described ingreater detail below, and sends a positioning report to the LMF 144.

While FIG. 1 depicts components of a 5G RAN and a 5G core network, thedescribed embodiments for configuring positioning measurements andreports apply to other types of communication networks and RATs,including IEEE 802.11 variants, Global System for Mobile Communications(“GSM”, i.e., a 2G digital cellular network), General Packet RadioService (“GPRS”), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (“UMTS”),LTE variants, CDMA 2000, Bluetooth, ZigBee, Sigfox, and the like.

Moreover, in an LTE variant where the mobile core network 140 is an EPC,the depicted network functions may be replaced with appropriate EPCentities, such as a Mobility Management Entity (“MME”), a ServingGateway (“SGW”), a PGW, a Home Subscriber Server (“HSS”), and the like.For example, the AMF 143 may be mapped to an MME, the SMF 145 may bemapped to a control plane portion of a PGW and/or to an MME, the UPF 141may be mapped to an SGW and a user plane portion of the PGW, the UDM/UDR149 may be mapped to an HSS, etc.

In the following descriptions, the term “RAN node” is used for the basestation but it is replaceable by any other radio access node, e.g., gNB,ng-eNB, eNB, Base Station (“BS”), Access Point (“AP”), etc. Further, theoperations are described mainly in the context of 5G NR. However, theproposed solutions/methods are also equally applicable to other mobilecommunication systems supporting configuring positioning measurementsand reports.

FIG. 2 depicts a NR protocol stack 200, according to embodiments of thedisclosure. While FIG. 2 shows the UE 205, the RAN node 210 and an AMF215 in a 5G core network (“5GC”), these are representative of a set ofremote units 105 interacting with a base unit 121 and a mobile corenetwork 140. As depicted, the protocol stack 200 comprises a User Planeprotocol stack 201 and a Control Plane protocol stack 203. The UserPlane protocol stack 201 includes a physical (“PHY”) layer 220, a MediumAccess Control (“MAC”) sublayer 225, the Radio Link Control (“RLC”)sublayer 230, a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (“PDCP”) sublayer 235,and Service Data Adaptation Protocol (“SDAP”) layer 240. The ControlPlane protocol stack 203 includes a physical layer 220, a MAC sublayer225, a RLC sublayer 230, and a PDCP sublayer 235. The Control Planeprotocol stack 203 also includes a Radio Resource Control (“RRC”) layer245 and a Non-Access Stratum (“NAS”) layer 250.

The AS layer (also referred to as “AS protocol stack”) for the UserPlane protocol stack 201 consists of at least SDAP, PDCP, RLC and MACsublayers, and the physical layer. The AS layer for the Control Planeprotocol stack 203 consists of at least RRC, PDCP, RLC and MACsublayers, and the physical layer. The Layer-2 (“L2”) is split into theSDAP, PDCP, RLC and MAC sublayers. The Layer-3 (“L3”) includes the RRCsublayer 245 and the NAS layer 250 for the control plane and includes,e.g., an Internet Protocol (“IP”) layer and/or PDU Layer (not depicted)for the user plane. L1 and L2 are referred to as “lower layers,” whileL3 and above (e.g., transport layer, application layer) are referred toas “higher layers” or “upper layers.”

The physical layer 220 offers transport channels to the MAC sublayer225. The physical layer 220 may perform a Clear Channel Assessmentand/or Listen-Before-Talk (“CCA/LBT”) procedure using energy detectionthresholds, as described herein. In certain embodiments, the physicallayer 220 may send a notification of UL Listen-Before-Talk (“LBT”)failure to a MAC entity at the MAC sublayer 225. The MAC sublayer 225offers logical channels to the RLC sublayer 230. The RLC sublayer 230offers RLC channels to the PDCP sublayer 235. The PDCP sublayer 235offers radio bearers to the SDAP sublayer 240 and/or RRC layer 245. TheSDAP sublayer 240 offers QoS flows to the core network (e.g., 5GC). TheRRC layer 245 provides for the addition, modification, and release ofCarrier Aggregation and/or Dual Connectivity. The RRC layer 245 alsomanages the establishment, configuration, maintenance, and release ofSignaling Radio Bearers (“SRBs”) and Data Radio Bearers (“DRBs”).

The NAS layer 250 is between the UE 205 and the 5GC 215. NAS messagesare passed transparently through the RAN. The NAS layer 250 is used tomanage the establishment of communication sessions and for maintainingcontinuous communications with the UE 205 as it moves between differentcells of the RAN. In contrast, the AS layer is between the UE 205 andthe RAN (i.e., RAN node 210) and carries information over the wirelessportion of the network.

In one embodiment, the following RAT-dependent positioning techniquesmay be supported by the system 100:

DL-TDoA: The DL TDOA positioning method makes use of the DL RS Time

Difference (“RSTD”) (and optionally DL PRS RS Received Power (“RSRP”) ofDL PRS RS Received Quality (“RSRQ”)) of downlink signals received frommultiple TPs, at the UE 205 (i.e., remote unit 105). The UE 205 measuresthe DL RSTD (and optionally DL PRS RSRP) of the received signals usingassistance data received from the positioning server, and the resultingmeasurements are used along with other configuration information tolocate the UE 205 in relation to the neighboring Transmission Points(“TPs”).

DL-AoD: The DL Angle of Departure (“AoD”) positioning method makes useof the measured DL PRS RSRP of downlink signals received from multipleTPs, at the UE 205. The UE 205 measures the DL PRS RSRP of the receivedsignals using assistance data received from the positioning server, andthe resulting measurements are used along with other configurationinformation to locate the UE 205 in relation to the neighboring TPs.

Multi-RTT: The Multiple-Round Trip Time (“Multi-RTT”) positioning methodmakes use of the UE Receive-Transmit (“Rx-Tx”) measurements and DL PRSRSRP of downlink signals received from multiple TRPs, measured by the UE205 and the gNB Rx-Tx measurements (i.e., measured by RAN node 210) andUL SRS-RSRP at multiple TRPs of uplink signals transmitted from UE 205.

The UE 205 measures the UE Rx-Tx measurements (and optionally DL PRSRSRP of the received signals) using assistance data received from thepositioning server, and the TRPs measure the gNB Rx-Tx measurements (andoptionally UL SRS-RSRP of the received signals) using assistance datareceived from the positioning server. The measurements are used todetermine the Round Trip Time (“RTT”) at the positioning server whichare used to estimate the location of the UE 205.

E-CID/NR E-CID: Enhanced Cell ID (CID) positioning method, the positionof a UE 205 is estimated with the knowledge of its serving ng-eNB, gNBand cell and is based on LTE signals. The information about the servingng-eNB, gNB and cell may be obtained by paging, registration, or othermethods. NR Enhanced Cell ID (NR E CID) positioning refers to techniqueswhich use additional UE measurements and/or NR radio resource and othermeasurements to improve the UE location estimate using NR signals.

Although NR E-CID positioning may utilize some of the same measurementsas the measurement control system in the RRC protocol, the UE 205generally is not expected to make additional measurements for the solepurpose of positioning; i.e., the positioning procedures do not supply ameasurement configuration or measurement control message, and the UE 205reports the measurements that it has available rather than beingrequired to take additional measurement actions.

UL-TDoA: The UL TDOA positioning method makes use of the UL TDOA (andoptionally UL SRS-RSRP) at multiple RPs of uplink signals transmittedfrom the UE 205. The RPs measure the UL TDOA (and optionally ULSRS-RSRP) of the received signals using assistance data received fromthe positioning server, and the resulting measurements are used alongwith other configuration information to estimate the location of the UE205.

UL-AoA: The UL Angle of Arrival (“AoA”) positioning method makes use ofthe measured azimuth and the zenith angles of arrival at multiple RPs ofuplink signals transmitted from the UE 205. The RPs measure A-AoA andZ-AoA of the received signals using assistance data received from thepositioning server, and the resulting measurements are used along withother configuration information to estimate the location of the UE 205.

Some UE positioning method supported in Rel-16 are listed in Table 2.The separate positioning techniques as indicated in Table 2 may becurrently configured and performed based on the requirements of the LMFand/or UE capabilities. Note that Table 2 includes TBS positioning basedon PRS signals, but only OTDOA based on LTE signals is supported. TheE-CID includes Cell-ID for NR method. The Terrestrial Beacon System (“TBS”) method refers to TBS positioning based on Metropolitan Beacon System(“MBS”) signals.

TABLE 2 Supported Rel-16 UE positioning methods UE- NG-RAN Secure UserUE- assisted, node Plane Location Method based LMF-based assisted(“SUPL”) A-GNSS Yes Yes No Yes (UE-based and UE-assisted) OTDOA No YesNo Yes (UE-assisted) E-CID No Yes Yes Yes for E-UTRA (UE-assisted)Sensor Yes Yes No No WLAN Yes Yes No Yes Bluetooth No Yes No No TBS YesYes No Yes (MBS) DL-TDOA Yes Yes No No DL-AoD Yes Yes No No Multi-RTT NoYes Yes No NR E-CID No Yes FFS No UL-TDOA No No Yes No UL-AoA No No YesNo

The transmission of Positioning Reference Signals (“PRS”) enables the UE205 to perform UE positioning-related measurements to enable thecomputation of a UE's location estimate and are configured perTransmission Reception Point (“TRP”), where a TRP may transmit one ormore beams.

FIG. 3 depicts a system 300 for NR beam-based positioning. According toRel-16, the PRS can be transmitted by different base stations (servingand neighboring) using narrow beams over Frequency Range #1 Between(“FR1”, i.e., frequencies from 410 MHz to 7125 MHz) and Frequency Range#2 (“FR2”, i.e., frequencies from 24.25 GHz to 52.6 GHz), which isrelatively different when compared to LTE where the PRS was transmittedacross the whole cell. As illustrated in FIG. 3 , a UE 205 may receivePRS from a first gNB (“gNB #1) 310 which is a serving gNB, and also froma neighboring second gNB (“gNB #2) 315, and a neighboring third gNB(“gNB #3) 320. Here, the PRS can be locally associated with a PRSResource ID and Resource Set ID for a base station (i.e., TRP). In thedepicted embodiments, each gNB 310, 315, 320 is configured with a firstResource Set ID 325 and a second Resource Set ID 330. As depicted, theUE 205 receives PRS on transmission beams; here, receiving PRS from thegNB #1 310 on PRS Resource ID #1 from the second Resource Set ID 330,receiving PRS from the gNB #2 315 on PSR Resource ID #3 from the secondResource Set ID 330, and receiving PRS from the gNB #3 320 on PRSResource ID #3 from the first Resource Set ID 325.

Similarly, UE positioning measurements such as Reference Signal TimeDifference (“RSTD”) and PRS RSRP measurements are made between beams asopposed to different cells as was the case in LTE. In addition, thereare additional UL positioning methods for the network to exploit inorder to compute the target UE's location. Table 3 lists theRS-to-measurements mapping required for each of the supportedRAT-dependent positioning techniques at the UE, and Table 4 lists theRS-to-measurements mapping required for each of the supportedRAT-dependent positioning techniques at the gNB.

TABLE 3 UE Measurements to enable RAT-dependent positioning techniquesTo facilitate support of the following DL/UL Reference UE positioningSignals Measurements techniques Rel-16 DL PRS DL RSTD DL-TDOA Rel-16 DLPRS DL PRS RSRP DL-TDOA, DL-AoD, Multi-RTT Rel-16 DL PRS/ UE Rx-Tx timeMulti-RTT Rel-16 SRS for difference positioning Rel. 15 SS-RSRP(RSRP forRRM), E-CID SSB/CSI-RS SS-RSRQ(for RRM), for RRM CSI-RSRP (for RRM),CSI-RSRQ (for RRM), SS-RSRPB (for RRM)

TABLE 4 gNB Measurements to enable RAT- dependent positioning techniquesTo facilitate support of the following DL/UL Reference gNB positioningSignals Measurements techniques Rel-16 SRS for positioning UL RTOAUL-TDOA Rel-16 SRS for positioning UL SRS-RSRP UL-TDOA, UL-AoA,Multi-RTT Rel-16 SRS for positioning, gNB Rx-Tx time Multi-RTT Rel-16 DLPRS difference Rel-16 SRS for positioning, A-AoA and Z-AoA UL-AoA,Multi-RTT

RAT-dependent positioning techniques involve the 3GPP RAT and corenetwork entities to perform the position estimation of the UE, which aredifferentiated from RAT-independent positioning techniques which rely onGlobal Navigation Satellite System (“GNSS”), Inertial Measurement Unit(“IMU”) sensor, WLAN and Bluetooth technologies for performing targetdevice (i.e., UE) positioning.

Regarding PRS design, for 3GPP Rel-16, a DL PRS Resource ID in a DL PRSResource set is associated with a single beam transmitted from a singleTRP. Note that a TRP may transmit one or more beams. A DL PRS occasionis one instance of periodically repeated time windows (consecutiveslot(s)) where DL PRS is expected to be transmitted. With regards toQuasi Co-Location (“QCL”) relations beyond Type-D of a DL PRS resource,support one or more of the following QCL options:

-   -   QCL Option 1: QCL-TypeC from a Synchronization Signal Block        (“SSB”) from a TRP.    -   QCL Option 2: QCL-TypeC from a DL PRS resource from a TRP.    -   QCL Option 3: QCL-TypeA from a DL PRS resource from TRP.    -   QCL Option 4: QCL-TypeC from a Channel State Information        Reference Signal (“CSI-RS”) resource from a TRP.    -   QCL Option 5: QCL-TypeA from a CSI-RS resource from a TRP.    -   QCL Option 6: No QCL relation beyond Type-D is supported.

Note that QCL-TypeA refers to Doppler shift, Doppler spread, averagedelay, delay spread; QCL-TypeB refers to Doppler shift, Doppler spread′;QCL-TypeC refers to Average delay, Doppler shift; and QCL-TypeD refersto Spatial Rx parameter.

For a DL PRS resource, QCL-TypeC from an SSB from a TRP (QCL Option 1)is supported. An ID is defined that can be associated with multiple DLPRS Resource Sets associated with a single TRP. An ID is defined thatcan be associated with multiple DL PRS Resource Sets associated with asingle TRP. This ID can be used along with a DL PRS Resource Set ID anda DL PRS Resources ID to uniquely identify a DL PRS Resource. Each TRPshould only be associated with one such ID.

DL PRS Resource IDs are locally defined within DL PRS Resource Set. DLPRS Resource Set IDs are locally defined within TRP. The time durationspanned by one DL PRS Resource set containing repeated DL PRS Resourcesshould not exceed DL-PRS-Periodicity. ParameterDL-PRS-ResourceRepetitionFactor is configured for a DL PRS Resource Setand controls how many times each DL-PRS Resource is repeated for asingle instance of the DL-PRS Resource Set. Supported values include: 1,2, 4, 6, 8, 16, 32.

As related to NR positioning, the term “positioning frequency layer”refers to a collection of DL PRS Resource Sets across one or more TRPswhich have:

-   -   The same SCS and CP type    -   The same center frequency    -   The same point-A (already agreed)    -   All DL PRS Resources of the DL PRS Resource Set have the same        bandwidth    -   All DL PRS Resource Sets belonging to the same Positioning        Frequency Layer have the same value of DL PRS Bandwidth and        Start PRB

Duration of DL PRS symbols in units of ms a UE can process every T msassuming 272 PRB allocation is a UE capability.

RRC signaling may be introduced for a UE to request a measurement gapconfiguration when the UE is expected to measure the DL PRS resourceoutside the active DL BWP. In case DL PRS Resources are processed in theactive BWP and there is no measurement gap configured to the UE, atleast in FR2, the UE may not be expected to process DL PRS in the sameOFDM symbol where other DL signals and channels are transmitted to theUE. Behavior in FR1 is determined by RAN4.

In one embodiment, configured DL PRS are transmitted on DL symbols of aslot configured by higher layers. In further embodiments, configured DLPRS are transmitted on symbols of slot configured as flexible symbols byhigher layers. In certain embodiments, if the UE is not provided with ameasurement gap, the UE is not expected to process DL PRS Resources onserving or neighboring cells on symbols indicated as UL by the servingcell.

In one embodiment, for UE DL PRS processing capability, the UE reportsone combination of (N, T) values per band, where N is a duration of DLPRS symbols in ms processed every T ms for a given maximum bandwidth (B)in MHz supported by UE. Additionally, the UE may report new parameters—a number of DL PRS resources that UE can process in a slot, which isreported per SCS per band. The values of which may include 1, 2, 4, 8,12, 16, 32, 64.

In one embodiment, the following sets of values for N, T and B aresupported: N={0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40,45, 50} ms, T={8, 16, 20, 30, 40, 80, 160, 320, 640, 1280} ms, andmaximum BW reported by UE={5, 10, 20, 40, 50, 80, 100, 200, 400} MHz.

When a UE is configured in the assistance data of a positioning methodwith a number of PRS resources beyond its capability (FG 13-2,13-3,13-4for AoD, TDOA, MRTT respectively), the UE assumes the DL-PRS Resourcesin the assistance data are sorted in a decreasing order of measurementpriority. Specifically, in one embodiment, according to the current RAN2structure of the assistance data, the following priority is assumed:

-   -   The 4 frequency layers are sorted according to priority;    -   The 64 TRPs per frequency layer are sorted according to        priority;    -   The 2 sets per TRP of the frequency layer are sorted according        to priority; and    -   The 64 resources of the set per TRP per frequency layer are        sorted according to priority.

In one embodiment, the reference indicated bynr-DL-PRS-ReferenceInfo-r16 for each frequency layer has the highestpriority at least for DL-TDOA.

In some embodiments, the terms antenna, panel, and antenna panel areused interchangeably. An antenna panel may be a hardware that is usedfor transmitting and/or receiving radio signals at frequencies lowerthan 6 GHz, e.g., frequency range 1 (FR1), or higher than 6 GHz, e.g.,frequency range 2 (FR2) or millimeter wave (mmWave). In someembodiments, an antenna panel may comprise an array of antenna elements,wherein each antenna element is connected to hardware such as a phaseshifter that allows a control module to apply spatial parameters fortransmission and/or reception of signals. The resulting radiationpattern may be called a beam, which may or may not be unimodal and mayallow the device to amplify signals that are transmitted or receivedfrom spatial directions.

In some embodiments, an antenna panel may or may not be virtualized asan antenna port in the specifications. An antenna panel may be connectedto a baseband processing module through a radio frequency (“RF”) chainfor each of transmission (egress) and reception (ingress) directions. Acapability of a device in terms of the number of antenna panels, theirduplexing capabilities, their beamforming capabilities, and so on, mayor may not be transparent to other devices. In some embodiments,capability information may be communicated via signaling or, in someembodiments, capability information may be provided to devices without aneed for signaling. In the case that such information is available toother devices, it can be used for signaling or local decision making.

In some embodiments, a device (e.g., UE, node) antenna panel may be aphysical or logical antenna array comprising a set of antenna elementsor antenna ports that share a common or a significant portion of an RFchain (e.g., in-phase/quadrature (“I/Q”) modulator, analog to digital(“A/D”) converter, local oscillator, phase shift network). The deviceantenna panel or “device panel” may be a logical entity with physicaldevice antennas mapped to the logical entity. The mapping of physicaldevice antennas to the logical entity may be up to deviceimplementation. Communicating (receiving or transmitting) on at least asubset of antenna elements or antenna ports active for radiating energy(also referred to herein as active elements) of an antenna panelrequires biasing or powering on of the RF chain which results in currentdrain or power consumption in the device associated with the antennapanel (including power amplifier/low noise amplifier (“LNA”) powerconsumption associated with the antenna elements or antenna ports). Thephrase “active for radiating energy,” as used herein, is not meant to belimited to a transmit function but also encompasses a receive function.Accordingly, an antenna element that is active for radiating energy maybe coupled to a transmitter to transmit radio frequency energy or to areceiver to receive radio frequency energy, either simultaneously orsequentially, or may be coupled to a transceiver in general, forperforming its intended functionality. Communicating on the activeelements of an antenna panel enables generation of radiation patterns orbeams.

In some embodiments, depending on device's own implementation, a “devicepanel” can have at least one of the following functionalities as anoperational role of Unit of antenna group to control its Tx beamindependently, Unit of antenna group to control its transmission powerindependently, Unit of antenna group to control its transmission timingindependently. The “device panel” may be transparent to the RAN node.For certain condition(s), the RAN node 210 can assume the mappingbetween device's physical antennas to the logical entity “device panel”may not be changed. For example, the condition may include until thenext update or report from device or comprise a duration of time overwhich the RAN node assumes there will be no change to the mapping.

A device may report its capability with respect to the “device panel” tothe RAN node or network. The device capability may include at least thenumber of “device panels.” In one implementation, the device may supportUL transmission from one beam within a panel; with multiple panels, morethan one beam (one beam per panel) may be used for UL transmission. Inanother implementation, more than one beam per panel may besupported/used for UL transmission.

In some of the embodiments described, an antenna port is defined suchthat the channel over which a symbol on the antenna port is conveyed canbe inferred from the channel over which another symbol on the sameantenna port is conveyed.

Two antenna ports are said to be quasi co-located if the large-scaleproperties of the channel over which a symbol on one antenna port isconveyed can be inferred from the channel over which a symbol on theother antenna port is conveyed. The large-scale properties include oneor more of delay spread, Doppler spread, Doppler shift, average gain,average delay, and spatial Rx parameters.

Two antenna ports may be quasi-located with respect to a subset of thelarge-scale properties and different subset of large-scale propertiesmay be indicated by a Quasi-Co-Location (“QCL”) Type. For example, theparameter qcl-Type may take one of the following values:

-   -   ‘QCL-TypeA’: {Doppler shift, Doppler spread, average delay,        delay spread}    -   ‘QCL-TypeB’: {Doppler shift, Doppler spread}    -   ‘QCL-TypeC’: {Doppler shift, average delay}    -   ‘QCL-TypeD’: {Spatial Rx parameter}.

Spatial Rx parameters may include one or more of: Angle of Arrival(“AoA”), Dominant AoA, average AoA, angular spread, Power AngularSpectrum (“PAS”) of AoA, average Angle of Departure (“AoD”), PAS of AoD,transmit/receive channel correlation, transmit/receive beamforming,spatial channel correlation etc.

An “antenna port” according to an embodiment may be a logical port thatmay correspond to a beam (resulting from beamforming) or may correspondto a physical antenna on a device. In some embodiments, a physicalantenna may map directly to a single antenna port, in which an antennaport corresponds to an actual physical antenna. Alternately, a set orsubset of physical antennas, or antenna set or antenna array or antennasub-array, may be mapped to one or more antenna ports after applyingcomplex weights, a cyclic delay, or both to the signal on each physicalantenna. The physical antenna set may have antennas from a single moduleor panel or from multiple modules or panels. The weights may be fixed asin an antenna virtualization scheme, such as cyclic delay diversity(“CDD”). The procedure used to derive antenna ports from physicalantennas may be specific to a device implementation and transparent toother devices.

In some of the embodiments described, a TCI-state associated with atarget transmission can indicate parameters for configuring aquasi-collocation relationship between the target transmission (e.g.,target RS of DM-RS ports of the target transmission during atransmission occasion) and a source reference signal(s) (e.g.,SSB/CSI-RS/SRS) with respect to QCL type parameter(s) indicated in thecorresponding TCI state. A device can receive a configuration of aplurality of transmission configuration indicator states for a servingcell for transmissions on the serving cell.

In some of the embodiments described, a spatial relation informationassociated with a target transmission can indicate parameters forconfiguring a spatial setting between the target transmission and areference RS (e.g., SSB/CSI-RS/SRS). For example, the device maytransmit the target transmission with the same spatial domainfilter/beam used for reception the reference RS (e.g., DL RS such asSSB/CSI-RS). In another example, the device may transmit the targettransmission with the same spatial domain transmission filter/beam usedfor the transmission of the reference RS (e.g., UL RS such as SRS). Adevice can receive a configuration of a plurality of spatial relationinformation configurations for a serving cell for transmissions on theserving cell.

Regarding physical layer latency, start and end times may be defined asshown in Table 5 below:

TABLE 5 Physical Layer Latency Start and End times Method Start End UEassisted DL- Transmission of the PDSCH Successful decoding of only &DL-ECID & from the gNB carrying the the PUSCH carrying the Multi-RTT LPPRequest Location LPP Provide Location Information message Informationmessage UL-only method & Reception by the gNB of the The transmission byUL ECID & NRPPa measurement request the gNB of the NRPPa Multi-RTTmessage measurement response message UE-based Transmission of the PDSCHSuccessful decoding of the from the gNB carrying the PUSCH at gNBcarrying the LPP Request Location LPP Provide Location Information ifapplicable, Information message if otherwise, applicable, otherwise Alt.1: transmission of Calculation of Location the PUSCH carrying Estimateat the UE the MG Request from the UE. Alt. 2: Transmission of the PDSCHfrom the gNB carrying the LPP message containing the assistance dataAlt. 3: Start of the Reception of DL PRS Note: Suggest to downselectthis at the next meeting. Note: The high layers latency components maybe subject to adjustment for different alternatives.

In one embodiment, physical layer latency for DL only, UL only, DL+ULpositioning solutions for UE-based and UE-assisted approaches areseparately defined. In certain embodiments, at least the followinginformation is provided for positioning physical layer latency analysis:

-   -   Source initiating request for positioning measurements/location        for a given UE (UE, Network)    -   Destination awaiting for positioning measurements/location for a        given UE (UE, Network)    -   Start and end triggers/events for physical layer latency        evaluation, which, for Re1.16 solutions, is based on        specification for each solution    -   Initial and final RRC State of positioned UE (RRC IDLE,        INACTIVE, CONNECTED) at the start and end time for the physical        layer latency evaluation    -   Positioning        -   a. technique (enumeration): (1) DL-TDOA, (2) DL AoD, (3)            UL-TDoA, (4) UL-AoA, (5) Multi-RTT, (6) E-CID        -   b. type: DL, UL, DL+UL        -   c. mode: UE-based, UE-assisted    -   Latency component w/value range and description, including        information on any parallel (simultaneous) components    -   Total latency value

In one embodiment, semi-persistent and aperiodic transmission, andreception of DL PRS is used, which may include UE-assisted and/orUE-based positioning and DL positioning and/or Multi-RTT.

In one embodiment, on-demand transmission, and reception of DL PRS isused, which may include UE-assisted and/or UE-based positioning and DLpositioning and/or Multi-RTT. As used herein, semi-persistent meansMAC-CE triggered, aperiodic corresponds to DCI-triggered, and on-demandcorresponds to the UE-initiated or network-initiated request of PRSand/or SRS. Thus, in one embodiment, it is not the same as whether PRSis DCI-triggered or MAC-CE triggered; rather, it is about UE or LMrequesting/suggesting/recommending specific PRS patterns, ON/OFF,periodicity, BW, and/or the like.

Regarding RAN4 positioning, in one embodiment, Rel-15 measurement gap(“MG”) patterns are applicable for positioning measurements. If new MGpatterns are introduced, the new MG patterns are UE capability. In oneembodiment, the handling of LTE PRS in Rel-15 CSSF for gap sharingbetween NR PRS and RRM is re-used.

In some embodiments regarding the PRS measurement period when incompletePRS measurement in active BWP is abandoned and restarted in gaps,additional requirements are not defined, but capture the above UEbehavior in the relevant requirements for positioning measurement beingperformed within the active BWP.

In certain embodiments, for a UE that does not need any PRS and/or RRMmeasurement relaxation due to concurrent processing of PRS and RRMmeasurements, and for a UE that needs PRS and/or RRM measurementrelaxation due to concurrent processing of PRS and RRM measurements, UEcapability signaling may indicate that the concurrent processing of PRSand RRM measurements does not need any PRS and/or RRM measurementrelaxation.

In addition to Rel-15 measurement gap patterns, RAN4 introduces inRel-16 new measurement gap patterns applicable for UEs configured withNR positioning measurements, including that the number of the newmeasurement gap patterns is two and the new measurement gap patterns areUE capability.

In one embodiment, UEs may support the measurement gap patterns listedin Table 6. The UE may determine measurement gap timing based on a gapoffset configuration and measurement gap timing advance configurationprovided by higher layer signaling.

TABLE 6 Measurement Gap Pattern Configurations Measurement GapMeasurement Gap Length Repetition Period Gap Pattern Id (MGL, ms) (MGRP,ms) 0 6 40 1 6 80 2 3 40 3 3 80 4 6 20 5 6 160 6 4 20 7 4 40 8 4 80 9 4160 10 3 20 11 3 160 12 5.5 20 13 5.5 40 14 5.5 80 15 5.5 160 16 3.5 2017 3.5 40 18 3.5 80 19 3.5 160 20 1.5 20 21 1.5 40 22 1.5 80 23 1.5 16024 10 80 25 20 160

In one embodiment, regarding measurement and report configuration, UEmeasurements have been defined, which are applicable to DL-basedpositioning techniques.

FIG. 4 depicts one example of an Information Element 400, i.e.,NR-DL-TDOA-ProvideAssistanceData, used by the location server to providean assistance data configuration to enable UE-assisted and UE-based NRdownlink TDOA. The depicted Information Element (“IE”) may also be usedto provide NR DL TDOA positioning specific error reason.

FIG. 5 shows one example of an Information Element 500, i.e.,NR-DL-TDOA-SignalMeasurementInformation, used by the target device(i.e., UE 205) to provide NR-DL TDOA measurements to the locationserver. The measurements are provided as a list of TRPs, where the firstTRP in the list is used as reference TRP in case RSTD measurements arereported. The first TRP in the list may or may not be the reference TRPindicated in the NR-DL-PRS-AssistanceData. Furthermore, the targetdevice selects a reference resource per TRP, and compiles themeasurements per TRP based on the selected reference resource.

Regarding RAT-dependent positioning measurements, the different DLmeasurements including DL PRS-RSRP, DL RSTD and UE Rx-Tx Time Differencerequired for the supported RAT-dependent positioning techniques. Thefollowing measurement configurations are specified:

-   -   4 Pair of DL RSTD measurements can be performed per pair of        cells. Each measurement is performed between a different pair of        DL PRS Resources/Resource Sets with a single reference timing.    -   8 DL PRS RSRP measurements can be performed on different DL PRS        resources from the same cell.

TABLE 7 DL Measurements required for DL-based positioning methods DL PRSreference signal received power (DL PRS-RSRP) Definition DL PRSreference signal received power (DL PRS-RSRP), is defined as the linearaverage over the power contributions (in [W]) of the resource elementsthat carry DL PRS reference signals configured for RSRP measurementswithin the considered measurement frequency bandwidth. For frequencyrange 1, the reference point for the DL PRS-RSRP shall be the antennaconnector of the UE. For frequency range 2, DL PRS-RSRP shall bemeasured based on the combined signal from antenna elementscorresponding to a given receiver branch. For frequency range 1 and 2,if receiver diversity is in use by the UE, the reported DL PRS-RSRPvalue shall not be lower than the corresponding DL PRS- RSRP of any ofthe individual receiver branches. Applicable for RRC_CONNECTEDintra-frequency, RRC_CONNECTED inter-frequency DL reference signal timedifference (DL RSTD) Definition DL reference signal time difference (DLRSTD) is the DL relative timing difference between the positioning nodej and the reference positioning node i, defined as T_(SubframeRxj) −T_(SubframeRxi), Where: T_(SubframeRxj) is the time when the UE receivesthe start of one subframe from positioning node j. T_(SubframeRxi) isthe time when the UE receives the corresponding start of one subframefrom positioning node i that is closest in time to the subframe receivedfrom positioning node j. Multiple DL PRS resources can be used todetermine the start of one subframe from a positioning node. Forfrequency range 1, the reference point for the DL RSTD shall be theantenna connector of the UE. For frequency range 2, the reference pointfor the DL RSTD shall be the antenna of the UE. Applicable forRRC_CONNECTED intra-frequency RRC_CONNECTED inter-frequency UE Rx − Txtime difference Definition The UE Rx − Tx time difference is defined asT_(UE-RX) − T_(UE-TX) Where: T_(UE-RX) is the UE received timing ofdownlink subframe #i from a positioning node, defined by the firstdetected path in time. T_(UE-TX) is the UE transmit timing of uplinksubframe #j that is closest in time to the subframe #i received from thepositioning node. Multiple DL PRS resources can be used to determine thestart of one subframe of the first arrival path of the positioning node.For frequency range 1, the reference point for T_(UE-RX) measurementshall be the Rx antenna connector of the UE and the reference point forT_(UE-TX) measurement shall be the Tx antenna connector of the UE. Forfrequency range 2, the reference point for T_(UE-RX) measurement shallbe the Rx antenna of the UE and the reference point for T_(UE-TX)measurement shall be the Tx antenna of the UE. Applicable forRRC_CONNECTED intra-frequency RRC_CONNECTED inter-frequency

The present embodiments include techniques to enable configurationsrelated to a UE's positioning processing capabilities and UL resourceavailability to enable positioning in a variety of latency and accuracyscenarios, including low latency and high accuracy positioning. Notethat these embodiments can be used in combination with one anotherdepending on the implementation.

In a first embodiment, the UE processing timeline of DL-basedpositioning methods is discussed, which requires measurements pertainingto the DL-PRS in order to obtain the target-UE's location estimate,e.g., RSTD, UE Rx-Tx Time Difference, DL-PRS RSRP. In this aspect, II)the presented solutions are tailored towards UE-assisted (locationestimate is computed at the LMF) and UE-based (location estimate islocally computed at the UE) positioning.

In one embodiment, UE-assisted positioning involves signaling exchangesamong the serving gNB, target-UE and finally LMF, in determining thelocation estimate. FIG. 6 illustrates the systematic procedures fortarget-UE performing positioning in a scenario where the PRS isprocessed within a DL BWP.

The UE processing timeline is measured from the time instance that thetarget-UE receives the DL-PRS physical layer configuration to the timeinstance that the target-UE transmits the measurement report to theserving gNB. It can be noted that in FIG. 6 :

-   -   Y parameter 602 defines the duration between the UE receiving        the DL-PRS configuration in the ProvideAssistanceData message        and receiving the RequestLocationInformation message containing        the measurement configuration including measurements and number        to be reported.    -   X parameter 604 defines the duration between the UE receiving        the RequestLocationInformation message and the UE transmitting        the ProvideLocationInformation message containing the        measurement report.

In one embodiment, the Y duration 602 mainly depends on when the UEreceives the DL-PRS configuration (e.g., via broadcast or dedicatedsignaling), which can occur when the UE is in either the RRCIDLE/INACTIVE or RRC CONNECTED state. Depending on the time instancewhen Step (2) has been triggered, the target-UE may store the DL-PRSconfiguration for period defined by Y 602, which can vary depending onthe target-UE state.

The X duration 604 is dependent on the configured positioning method bythe LMF and number of measurements to be performed, as noted in Table 8.Table 8 further indicates the maximum number of supported measurementsper target-UE. The X duration 604 is not limited to the techniquesindicated in Table 8 but may also correspond to any positioning methodand corresponding measurements configured by the location server.

TABLE 8 Maximum number of measurements per configured positioningtechnique DL-based Maximum Positioning Measurement Number of TechniqueReport Type Measurements DL-AoD DL-PRS RSRP measurements 8 on differentPRS resources from the same TRP supported by the UE DL-TDOA DL-PRS RSTD4 Measurement Report DL-PRS RSRP Measurement 8 Multi-RTT UE Rx-TxMeasurement Report 4 DL-PRS RSRP Measurement 8

In an alternate embodiment, the UE receives the DL-PRS configuration andcorresponding reporting configuration together. In this scenario, acombined processing timeline could be assumed that includes processingthe configuration, performing the DL-PRS measurements, and processingthe report.

The LMF 144 can configure a set of X 604 (and Y 602) values for the UEdepending on the following factors:

-   -   UE capability of the UE: Reduced capability positioning UEs,        will have relaxed timing requirements when compared to UEs with        enhanced capabilities.    -   Positioning Latency Budget: The positioning service would have a        relaxed to stringent Time-to-Find-First-Fix (“TTFF”).    -   Accuracy requirement: Depending on the number of measurements to        be performed within the X time window, the positioning accuracy        may be low or high.

The X and Y values 602, 604 can depend on the required positioninglatency budget required by an LCS client or application function. The UEprocessing configuration can be signaled in at least one of thefollowing methods:

-   -   Via dedicated signaling for UE-specific processing timeline        configurations, depending on e.g., latency budget of the        positioning service.        -   a. Relaxed latency requirements may use LPP signaling        -   b. Stringent latency requirements may use dynamic L1/L2            signaling such as DCI/MAC CE/RRC signaling    -   Via system information broadcast signaling, e.g., SIB/on-demand        signaling for a set of UEs with the shared aforementioned        criteria.

In one example implementation, when the UE is configured to reportmeasurement quantities related to DL-TDOA, then depending up on the UEprocessing capability, two embodiments can be considered:

-   -   In one embodiment, the UE is able to process both DL-PRS RSTD        measurements and DL-PRS RSRP measurements at the same time such        that the processing timeline X is comprised of a single value.    -   In another embodiment, the UE is able to process DL-PRS RSTD        measurements and DL-PRS RSRP measurements in a sequential manner        such that the processing timeline X can be composed of two        timelines X1 and X2, respectively.

FIG. 7 illustrates the procedures related to UE-based positioning andthe corresponding UE processing timeline associated with suchprocedures. Similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 , the DL-PRS isalso processed within a DL-BWP.

In the case of UE-based positioning, in one embodiment, the target-UEmust initiate Step 1 if there is:

-   -   no prior DL-PRS physical layer configuration stored in the UE,    -   existing DL-PRS configuration is outdated, or    -   if the existing DL-PRS configuration does not match the accuracy        requirements.

Duration Z 702 between Steps (1) 701 and (2) 703, in one embodiment,depends on the scheduling latency of the LMF to provide the desiredmeasurement configuration. Steps (2) 703 and (3) 705 are similar to theembodiment depicted in FIG. 6 , in that the UE processing delay isdependent on the duration between the instance that the UE receives theDL-PRS physical layer configuration and the instance that the requirednumber of measurements have been gathered (given by U 704). V 706 is theprocessing duration to compute the location estimate at the target-UE.Steps (5) 707 and (6) 709 are optionally required if the LMF 144 wouldlike the target-UE's location to estimate to be reported and thereforemay not affect the target-UE's positioning processing timeline, unlikein the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 where Step (3) has a direct impact onthe UE's processing timeline. Similarly, in Step (4) 711, the target-UEmay locally compute a location estimate based on the positioningmeasurements.

In further embodiments, the measurement of a DL-PRS configurationextends to outside an active DL BWP of a serving cell and requiresDL-PRS measurements of a TRP from a neighboring cell for enhancedaccuracy positioning. However, in order to measure the DL-PRS resourcesoutside an DL BWP of a serving cell/frequency, in one embodiment, ameasurement gap would have to be configured at the target-UE, which canbe provided to the UE or be provided upon request. This may add to theUE processing load and delay. At present, there are few issues in Rel-16positioning to be considered with respect to the UE positioningprocessing capability:

-   -   RRM and Positioning Measurement Gap configuration are shared and        thus the time-frequency location of the DL-PRS resources must be        within the same SMTC window as the SSBs of the corresponding        non-serving cell to be measured.    -   The UE processing timeline is impacted by the Measurement Gap        Length (“MGL”) and may not be optimized for reducing positioning        latency.    -   There is a delay associated with the target-UE receiving the        measurement gap (“MG”) configuration (e.g., via RRC) and        subsequent application of this configuration.

FIG. 8 illustrates the impact of the MG configuration on the UEpositioning processing timeline, which is associated with an MGL 803 anda Measurement Gap Repetition Period (“MGRP”) 801. The delay associatedwith requesting and/or receiving an MG configuration is not shown.

In the case of both RRM and positioning, in one embodiment, a per-UE orper-FR MG can be configured. This implies that the MGL 803 shouldaccommodate an SMTC and PRS occasion. A trade-off exists between the UEprocessing load and the length and periodicity of MGRP 801 toaccommodate PRS occasions to be measured for high accuracy positioning.The RF tuning time 807 at the start and end of the MGL is also shown tocontribute to the MGL 803.

The depicted embodiment presents a hybrid MG configuration forpositioning where {X1, X2, . . . , XN} 805 can be adapted based on theset of criteria, as mentioned in the embodiment depicted in FIG. 6 :

-   -   Capability of the UE: Reduced capability positioning UEs, will        have relaxed timing requirements when compared to UEs with        enhanced capabilities.    -   Positioning Latency Budget: The positioning service would have a        relaxed to stringent Time-to-Find-First-Fix (“TTFF”).    -   Accuracy requirement: Depending on the number of measurements to        be performed within the X time window, the positioning accuracy        may be low or high.

In further embodiments, for a target UE, PRS processing unit (“PPU”) isproposed such that the processing capability for that UE could bedefined in terms of number of PPUs it could support for a given symbolto process the PRS measurements and reports. Furthermore, for each typeof PRS measurement and reporting, UE capability may be defined in termsof number of PPUs required to process corresponding report.

In one example implementation of this embodiment, when a UE isconfigured to report measurements for DL-TDOA and the UE is capable of MPPUs, then if DL-PRS RSTD requires N PPUs in a symbol, the remaining M-NPPUs may be used for DL-PRS RSRP, if it is sufficient, otherwise noparallel processing is possible on the same symbol. In such anembodiment, sequential processing may be performed.

In one embodiment, a mechanism for the UE to provision UL resources fortransmitting positioning measurement report(s) within a defined periodto the LMF 144 is described. Currently NR defines two types of theconfigured grants, viz. Type 1 and Type 2 grants:

-   -   Type 1 grants can be configured via RRC including the        periodicity    -   Type 2 grants can be activated/deactivated via DCI.

In the case of UE-assisted positioning, the measurement report may betransmitted via the ProvideLocation message (higher layer NASsignaling), which is inherently non-dynamic when compared to the Type 1and Type 2 configured grants, which are based on L1/L2 signaling ForUE-based positioning, the ProvideLocation message provides the computedlocation estimate of the UE.

The LMF 144 may request the serving gNB to configure UL grants once thepositioning-related measurements, e.g., based on prior DL-PRStransmissions, are ready to be reported (e.g., Step 4 of FIG. 6 or Step6 of FIG. 7 ). FIG. 9 is an illustration of the dynamic reportingmechanism. In FIG. 9(a), Step (1) 901, the UE receives the UL CGconfiguration, containing exemplary configuration details such as thetime-frequency resources, activation indication, offset, and/orperiodicity. The serving gNB may have prior confirmation through messageexchanges with the LMF 144 regarding the scheduling of the DL-PRS withother neighboring cells since a target-UE of a serving cell can only beconfigured with a UL Type 1 activation (FIG. 9(a)) or a Type 2activation (FIG. 9(b)). Steps (2)-(5) 903-909 of FIG. 9(a) include thetransmission of the positioning report based on earliest availability.

In an alternative implementation, the measurements may be rankedaccording to measurement priority or as per the positioning latencybudget and transmitted accordingly. In FIG. 9(b), the UL CG may bedeactivated, at Step (6) 913, using explicit signaling e.g., using theProvideLocation message. In another implementation example, theProvideLocation message may also contain another UL CG activation forthe next UL configured grant for measurement reporting.

In another implementation, explicit indication of the deactivation ofthe UL CG with activation message (after a certain configured time) canbe indicated in Step (1) 911, when the UE first receives the UL CGconfiguration.

In an alternate embodiment, when a UE is configured with a PRSmeasurement report that may contain multiple quantities to be reportedfor the corresponding positioning techniques, then partial reportingcould be done (specially for low-latency requirements), where multipleUL resources are configured or indicated, and partial reporting is doneon different instances of the UL resources. Basically, in oneembodiment, for a partial report, instead of processing the entirereport, the UE starts reporting the individual parts as they are ready.The exact sequence of partial reporting, e.g., which quantity isreported earlier than the other may be configured to the UE explicitlyto implicitly based on the required processing timeline for eachquantity.

In further embodiments, a method of prioritization of PRS measurementreports based on availability of UL resources is described. In thescenario where the is a limited availability of UL CG resources fortransmitting all the readily available measurement reports, in certainembodiments, a prioritization criteria may be applied to each of thepositioning measurements based on a certain criteria such as positioninglatency budget, accuracy, and type of positioning method.

The prioritization criteria may be configured by the LMF 144 via e.g., aProvideAssistanceData message in the case of UE-assisted positioningmethods. In the case of UE-based positioning methods, the UE mayindicate to the LMF 144 and/or gNB, the preferred II) criteria of therequested message via e.g., RequestAssistanceData message on the PUSCH.This enables efficient processing of the DL-PRS based on the associatedpriority criteria of each of the measurements.

In an alternative implementation, the target-UE may request thepreferred priority of the positioning-related reference signalmeasurements, e.g., DL-PRS, SRS, in an on-demand manner using either L1,e.g., DCI, or L2 e.g., RRC/MAC CE signaling.

In one example, when the UE is required to process multiple PRS reportsand each report is assigned or indicated with a priority level, then theUE starts with the highest priority report and calculates the availableprocessing units and assigns the required processing units to 1^(st)report with highest priority. Then the UE checks the remainingprocessing units and the required processing units for a 2^(nd) reportwith second highest priority and if the remaining available units aresufficient, then the UE is capable of parallel processing the 2^(nd)report as well. The UE then continues this process until it runs out ofsufficient processing units. In that case, the UE can either delay theprocessing of lower priority reports, if the latency requirement couldstill be met. Otherwise, the UE may drop the low priority reports thatcannot be processed within the required latency constraint.

In another example, the UE is required to perform measurements frommultiple TRPs and process corresponding reports. If the priorityassociated or the associated accuracy is lower compared to otherconfigured reports, then depending upon the availability of processingunits, the UE could process all the measurements from all the TRPs inparallel or in a sequential manner with some delay. However, if suchdelays exceed the required latency constraint, then the UE dropsmeasurements (or measurement reports) from one or more TRPs and onlyreports partial measurements (or measurement reports) from a sub-set ofTRPs.

There may be cases where incomplete measurements may arise during apositioning measurement window resulting in an incomplete report. Inorder to increase the signal efficiency of positioning reporting by atarget-UE, in one embodiment, the target-UE may be configured to dropmeasurements based on certain criteria including:

-   -   If a measurement report size based on a positioning technique        exceeds the UL transmissions resource availability.    -   If measurements are lower in priority with respect to other high        priority measurements.    -   If measurements are incomplete or corrupted, e.g., due to        failure events and thus the report is not deemed beneficial for        processing by the location server (LMF).    -   If measurements are not deemed to be reliable and/or do not        satisfy the integrity requirements such as:        -   a. Target Integrity Risk (“TIR”);        -   b. Alert Limit (“AL”);        -   c. Time-to-Alert (“TTA”);        -   d. Protection Level (“PL”).

The TIR may be further defined as the probability that the positioningerror exceeds the AL without warning the user within the required TTA.The AL, as used herein, is defined as the maximum allowable positioningerror such that the positioning system is available for the intendedapplication. If the positioning error is beyond the AL, operations maybe hazardous, and the positioning system should be declared unavailablefor the intended application to prevent loss of integrity. The TTA, asused herein, is referred to as the maximum allowable elapsed time fromwhen the positioning error exceeds the AL until the function providingposition integrity annunciates a corresponding alert. The PL, as usedherein, is a statistical upper-bound of the positioning error thatensures that the probability per unit of time of the true error beinggreater than the AL and the PL being less than or equal to the AL, forlonger than the TTA, is less than the required TIR.

In one embodiment, the target-UE may explicitly indicate the droppedmeasurements or the LMF 144 may implicitly infer the droppedmeasurements based on the provided measurement configuration.

FIG. 10 depicts a user equipment apparatus 1000 that may be used forconfiguring positioning measurements and reports, according toembodiments of the disclosure. In various embodiments, the userequipment apparatus 1000 is used to implement one or more of thesolutions described above. The user equipment apparatus 1000 may be oneembodiment of the remote unit 105 and/or the UE 205, described above.Furthermore, the user equipment apparatus 1000 may include a processor1005, a memory 1010, an input device 1015, an output device 1020, and atransceiver 1025.

In some embodiments, the input device 1015 and the output device 1020are combined into a single device, such as a touchscreen. In certainembodiments, the user equipment apparatus 1000 may not include any inputdevice 1015 and/or output device 1020. In various embodiments, the userequipment apparatus 1000 may include one or more of: the processor 1005,the memory 1010, and the transceiver 1025, and may not include the inputdevice 1015 and/or the output device 1020.

As depicted, the transceiver 1025 includes at least one transmitter 1030and at least one receiver 1035. In some embodiments, the transceiver1025 communicates with one or more cells (or wireless coverage areas)supported by one or more base units 121. In various embodiments, thetransceiver 1025 is operable on unlicensed spectrum. Moreover, thetransceiver 1025 may include multiple UE panels supporting one or morebeams. Additionally, the transceiver 1025 may support at least onenetwork interface 1040 and/or application interface 1045. Theapplication interface(s) 1045 may support one or more APIs. The networkinterface(s) 1040 may support 3GPP reference points, such as Uu, N1,PC5, etc. Other network interfaces 1040 may be supported, as understoodby one of ordinary skill in the art.

The processor 1005, in one embodiment, may include any known controllercapable of executing computer-readable instructions and/or capable ofperforming logical operations. For example, the processor 1005 may be amicrocontroller, a microprocessor, a central processing unit (“CPU”), agraphics processing unit (“GPU”), an auxiliary processing unit, a fieldprogrammable gate array (“FPGA”), or similar programmable controller. Insome embodiments, the processor 1005 executes instructions stored in thememory 1010 to perform the methods and routines described herein. Theprocessor 1005 is communicatively coupled to the memory 1010, the inputdevice 1015, the output device 1020, and the transceiver 1025.

In various embodiments, the processor 1005 controls the user equipmentapparatus 1000 to implement the above described UE behaviors. In certainembodiments, the processor 1005 may include an application processor(also known as “main processor”) which manages application-domain andoperating system (“OS”) functions and a baseband processor (also knownas “baseband radio processor”) which manages radio functions.

In one embodiment, the 1025 transceiver receives, from a mobile wirelesscommunication network, a positioning configuration defining apositioning configuration timeline and a measurement and processing timewindow for the UE. The positioning configuration may include a timelineduration defining when to start performing measurements, a set ofpositioning measurements to be taken within the configured time window,and a window duration for measuring and processing requestedposition-relation measurements for the UE according to the positioningprocessing timeline.

In one embodiment, the processor 1005 performs at least one positioningmeasurement for the UE according to the positioning processing timelinein response to receiving the positioning configuration. In certainembodiments, the transceiver 1025 sends a positioning measurement reportcomprising the at least one positioning measurement and measurementtimeline performed of the at least one positioning measurement withinthe configured time window from the UE to the mobile wirelesscommunication network.

In one embodiment, multiple one of configuration timelines andmeasurement and processing timelines may be configured for the UE, andwherein a latency for at least one of a reference signal received power(“RSRP”), a reference signal time difference (“RSTD”), and a UE Rx-Txpositioning measurement within each of the multiple measurement andprocessing timelines may be reported to the mobile wirelesscommunication network.

In one embodiment, the latency may comprise a single value in responseto positioning measurements being performed at a same time and multiplevalues in response to positioning measurements being performedsequentially.

In one embodiment, the transceiver 1025 receives pre-configuredassistance data for positioning from the mobile wireless communicationnetwork during a Long-term evolution Protocol Positioning (“LPP”)session and performs measurements and processing on the pre-configuredassistance data in response to the transceiver receiving an LPP RequestLocation Information message.

In one embodiment, the transceiver 1025 receives the positioningconfiguration from the mobile wireless communication network via abroadcast signal, the positioning configuration designed for a pluralityof UEs with same capabilities.

In one embodiment, the transceiver 1025 receives the positioningconfiguration from the mobile wireless communication network via aUE-specific dedicated signal, the UE-specific dedicated signalcomprising an LPP Request Location Information message.

In one embodiment, in response to the UE initiating a positioningreference signal (“PRS”) configuration request, the processor 1005determines an overall timeline between receiving the configurationrequest and receiving the UE's position estimate, the overall timelinecomprising multiple timelines related to the configuration of assistancedata, measurement, processing, and calculation of the UE's positionestimate.

In one embodiment, the transceiver 1025 sends an on-demand request tothe mobile wireless communication network to receive downlink-PRS(“DL-PRS”) assistance data in response to at least one of no priorDL-PRS physical layer configuration stored at the UE, existing DL-PRSconfiguration is outdated, and the existing DL-PRS configuration doesnot meet accuracy requirements.

In one embodiment, the positioning configuration further comprises a setof measurement gap configurations to be applied by the UE for thepositioning processing timeline, the measurement gap configurationdefining a measurement gap length and a measurement gap length and ameasurement gap repetition period for the positioning processingtimeline.

In one embodiment, the set of measurement gap configurations can bepre-configured in the UE via signaling from the mobile wirelesscommunication network. In one embodiment, the processor 1005 processesPRS measurements and reports according to a UE PRS processing unit(“PPU”), the UE PPU comprising a number of PPUs that the UE can supportfor a given symbol.

In one embodiment, based on the UE's capabilities, the processor 1005performs parallel processing of the same PRS symbol with respect toother positioning measurements. In one embodiment, the mobile wirelesscommunication network comprises at least one of a base station and alocation management function.

In further embodiments, the transceiver 1025 receives, from a mobilewireless communication network, an uplink (“UL”) configured grantconfiguration based on criteria associated with at least one of ameasurement priority order, a positioning latency budget and apositioning processing timeline for the UE. In some embodiments, theprocessor 1005 performs at least one positioning measurement for the UEaccording to at least one of the measurement priority order and thepositioning processing timeline and generates a positioning measurementreport comprising the at least one positioning measurement.

In certain embodiments, the transceiver 1025 sends the positioningmeasurement report to the mobile wireless communication network usingthe UL configured grant configuration based on an availability ofpositioning-related reference signal measurements based on at least oneof the measurement priority order and the positioning processingtimeline.

In one embodiment, the UE is configured with a Type 1 UL configuredgrant configuration via radio resource control (“RRC”) signaling forsending the positioning measurement report comprising the at least onepositioning measurement.

In one embodiment, the UE is configured with a Type 2 UL configuredgrant configuration via downlink control information (“DCI”) signalingfor sending the positioning measurement report comprising the at leastone positioning measurement.

In one embodiment, the UL configured grant configuration comprisessignaling information for one or more of an offset, a periodicity, anactivation, a deactivation, and time-frequency resources of thepositioning measurement report comprising the at least one positioningmeasurement.

In one embodiment, the transceiver 1025 receives a positioningmeasurement configuration indicating a positioning measurement priorityorder based on the availability of positioning-related reference signalresources, the priority order determined based on at least one of theUE's capabilities, the positioning latency budget, and a locationestimate accuracy. In one embodiment, the processor 1005 performs the atleast one positioning measurement and generates the positioningmeasurement report according to the priority order indicated in thepositioning measurement configuration. In one embodiment, thetransceiver 1025 sends the positioning measurement report to the mobilewireless communication network using the UL configured grantconfiguration according to the priority order indicated in themeasurement configuration.

In one embodiment, the transceiver 1025 receives the positioningmeasurement configuration in response to sending a request for thepositioning measurement configuration. In one embodiment, thepositioning measurement priority order is configured by at least one ofa location server and a base station of the mobile wirelesscommunication network. In one embodiment, the location server exchangesinformation with the base station related to the configuration andscheduling of the physical uplink shared channel (“PUSCH”).

In one embodiment, the transceiver 1025 dynamically provides thepositioning measurement configuration, on-demand, using at least one ofradio resource control (“RRC”) signaling and medium access control(“MAC”) control element (“CE”) signaling. In one embodiment, theprocessor 1005 drops the positioning-related reference signalmeasurements to be reported in response to at least one of a measurementreport size exceeding UL transmission resource availability,measurements being lower in priority with respect to other measurementswith higher priority, measurements being one of incomplete andcorrupted, and measurements determined to be unreliable in response tonot satisfying one or more integrity requirements.

In one embodiment, the processor 1005 drops the positioning-relatedreference signal measurements based on at least one of the latencybudget and the measurement and processing timeline.

The memory 1010, in one embodiment, is a computer readable storagemedium. In some embodiments, the memory 1010 includes volatile computerstorage media. For example, the memory 1010 may include a RAM, includingdynamic RAM (“DRAM”), synchronous dynamic RAM (“SDRAM”), and/or staticRAM (“SRAM”). In some embodiments, the memory 1010 includes non-volatilecomputer storage media. For example, the memory 1010 may include a harddisk drive, a flash memory, or any other suitable non-volatile computerstorage device. In some embodiments, the memory 1010 includes bothvolatile and non-volatile computer storage media.

In some embodiments, the memory 1010 stores data related to configuringpositioning measurements and reports. For example, the memory 1010 maystore various parameters, panel/beam configurations, resourceassignments, policies, and the like as described above. In certainembodiments, the memory 1010 also stores program code and related data,such as an operating system or other controller algorithms operating onthe apparatus 1000.

The input device 1015, in one embodiment, may include any known computerinput device including a touch panel, a button, a keyboard, a stylus, amicrophone, or the like. In some embodiments, the input device 1015 maybe integrated with the output device 1020, for example, as a touchscreenor similar touch-sensitive display. In some embodiments, the inputdevice 1015 includes a touchscreen such that text may be input using avirtual keyboard displayed on the touchscreen and/or by handwriting onthe touchscreen. In some embodiments, the input device 1015 includes twoor more different devices, such as a keyboard and a touch panel.

The output device 1020, in one embodiment, is designed to output visual,audible, and/or haptic signals. In some embodiments, the output device1020 includes an electronically controllable display or display devicecapable of outputting visual data to a user. For example, the outputdevice 1020 may include, but is not limited to, a Liquid Crystal Display(“LCD”), a Light-Emitting Diode (“LED”) display, an Organic LED (“OLED”)display, a projector, or similar display device capable of outputtingimages, text, or the like to a user. As another, non-limiting, example,the output device 1020 may include a wearable display separate from, butcommunicatively coupled to, the rest of the user equipment apparatus1000, such as a smart watch, smart glasses, a heads-up display, or thelike. Further, the output device 1020 may be a component of a smartphone, a personal digital assistant, a television, a table computer, anotebook (laptop) computer, a personal computer, a vehicle dashboard, orthe like.

In certain embodiments, the output device 1020 includes one or morespeakers for producing sound. For example, the output device 1020 mayproduce an audible alert or notification (e.g., a beep or chime). Insome embodiments, the output device 1020 includes one or more hapticdevices for producing vibrations, motion, or other haptic feedback. Insome embodiments, all, or portions of the output device 1020 may beintegrated with the input device 1015. For example, the input device1015 and output device 1020 may form a touchscreen or similartouch-sensitive display. In other embodiments, the output device 1020may be located near the input device 1015.

The transceiver 1025 communicates with one or more network functions ofa mobile communication network via one or more access networks. Thetransceiver 1025 operates under the control of the processor 1005 totransmit messages, data, and other signals and also to receive messages,data, and other signals. For example, the processor 1005 may selectivelyactivate the transceiver 1025 (or portions thereof) at particular timesin order to send and receive messages.

The transceiver 1025 includes at least transmitter 1030 and at least onereceiver 1035. One or more transmitters 1030 may be used to provide ULcommunication signals to a base unit 121, such as the UL transmissionsdescribed herein. Similarly, one or more receivers 1035 may be used toreceive DL communication signals from the base unit 121, as describedherein. Although only one transmitter 1030 and one receiver 1035 areillustrated, the user equipment apparatus 1000 may have any suitablenumber of transmitters 1030 and receivers 1035. Further, thetransmitter(s) 1030 and the receiver(s) 1035 may be any suitable type oftransmitters and receivers. In one embodiment, the transceiver 1025includes a first transmitter/receiver pair used to communicate with amobile communication network over licensed radio spectrum and a secondtransmitter/receiver pair used to communicate with a mobilecommunication network over unlicensed radio spectrum.

In certain embodiments, the first transmitter/receiver pair used tocommunicate with a mobile communication network over licensed radiospectrum and the second transmitter/receiver pair used to communicatewith a mobile communication network over unlicensed radio spectrum maybe combined into a single transceiver unit, for example a single chipperforming functions for use with both licensed and unlicensed radiospectrum. In some embodiments, the first transmitter/receiver pair andthe second transmitter/receiver pair may share one or more hardwarecomponents. For example, certain transceivers 1025, transmitters 1030,and receivers 1035 may be implemented as physically separate componentsthat access a shared hardware resource and/or software resource, such asfor example, the network interface 1040.

In various embodiments, one or more transmitters 1030 and/or one or morereceivers 1035 may be implemented and/or integrated into a singlehardware component, such as a multi-transceiver chip, asystem-on-a-chip, an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (“ASIC”),or other type of hardware component. In certain embodiments, one or moretransmitters 1030 and/or one or more receivers 1035 may be implementedand/or integrated into a multi-chip module. In some embodiments, othercomponents such as the network interface 1040 or other hardwarecomponents/circuits may be integrated with any number of transmitters1030 and/or receivers 1035 into a single chip. In such embodiment, thetransmitters 1030 and receivers 1035 may be logically configured as atransceiver 1025 that uses one more common control signals or as modulartransmitters 1030 and receivers 1035 implemented in the same hardwarechip or in a multi-chip module.

FIG. 11 depicts a network apparatus 1100 that may be used forconfiguring positioning measurements and reports, according toembodiments of the disclosure. In one embodiment, network apparatus 1100may be one implementation of a RAN node, such as the base unit 121and/or the RAN node 210, as described above. Furthermore, the basenetwork apparatus 1100 may include a processor 1105, a memory 1110, aninput device 1115, an output device 1120, and a transceiver 1125.

In some embodiments, the input device 1115 and the output device 1120are combined into a single device, such as a touchscreen. In certainembodiments, the network apparatus 1100 may not include any input device1115 and/or output device 1120. In various embodiments, the networkapparatus 1100 may include one or more of: the processor 1105, thememory 1110, and the transceiver 1125, and may not include the inputdevice 1115 and/or the output device 1120.

As depicted, the transceiver 1125 includes at least one transmitter 1130and at least one receiver 1135. Here, the transceiver 1125 communicateswith one or more remote units 175. Additionally, the transceiver 1125may support at least one network interface 1140 and/or applicationinterface 1145. The application interface(s) 1145 may support one ormore APIs. The network interface(s) 1140 may support 3GPP referencepoints, such as Uu, N1, N2 and N3. Other network interfaces 1140 may besupported, as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.

The processor 1105, in one embodiment, may include any known controllercapable of executing computer-readable instructions and/or capable ofperforming logical operations. For example, the processor 1105 may be amicrocontroller, a microprocessor, a CPU, a GPU, an auxiliary processingunit, a FPGA, or similar programmable controller. In some embodiments,the processor 1105 executes instructions stored in the memory 1110 toperform the methods and routines described herein. The processor 1105 iscommunicatively coupled to the memory 1110, the input device 1115, theoutput device 1120, and the transceiver 1125.

In various embodiments, the network apparatus 1100 is a RAN node (e.g.,gNB) that communicates with one or more UEs, as described herein. Insuch embodiments, the processor 1105 controls the network apparatus 1100to perform the above described RAN behaviors. When operating as a RANnode, the processor 1105 may include an application processor (alsoknown as “main processor”) which manages application-domain andoperating system (“OS”) functions and a baseband processor (also knownas “baseband radio processor”) which manages radio functions.

In various embodiments, the processor 1105 and transceiver 1125 controlthe network apparatus 1100 to perform the above described LMF behaviors.For example, in one embodiment, the transceiver 1125 sends, to a UserEquipment (“UE”) device, a positioning configuration defining apositioning configuration timeline and a measurement and processing timewindow for the UE. In one embodiment, the positioning configurationcomprising a timeline duration defining when to start performingmeasurements, a set of positioning measurements to be taken within theconfigured time window, and a window duration for measuring andprocessing requested position-relation measurements for the UE accordingto the positioning processing timeline.

In one embodiment, the transceiver 11215 receives, from the UE device, apositioning measurement report comprising the at least one positioningmeasurement and measurement timeline of the at least one positioningmeasurement performed within the configured time window. In oneembodiment, the positioning configuration timeline is determined as afunction of different individual timelines associated with configurationof assistance data, measurements, processing, and calculation of theUE's position estimate.

In one embodiment, the transceiver 1125 sends, to a User Equipment(“UE”) device, an uplink (“UL”) configured grant configuration based oncriteria associated with at least one of a measurement priority order, apositioning latency budget, and a positioning processing timeline forthe UE and receives a positioning measurement report from the UE usingthe UL configured grant configuration based on an availability ofpositioning-related reference signal measurements based on at least oneof the measurement priority order and the positioning processingtimeline.

The memory 1110, in one embodiment, is a computer readable storagemedium. In some embodiments, the memory 1110 includes volatile computerstorage media. For example, the memory 1110 may include a RAM, includingdynamic RAM (“DRAM”), synchronous dynamic RAM (“SDRAM”), and/or staticRAM (“SRAM”). In some embodiments, the memory 1110 includes non-volatilecomputer storage media. For example, the memory 1110 may include a harddisk drive, a flash memory, or any other suitable non-volatile computerstorage device. In some embodiments, the memory 1110 includes bothvolatile and non-volatile computer storage media.

In some embodiments, the memory 1110 stores data related to configuringpositioning measurements and reports. For example, the memory 1110 maystore parameters, configurations, resource assignments, policies, andthe like, as described above. In certain embodiments, the memory 1110also stores program code and related data, such as an operating systemor other controller algorithms operating on the apparatus 1100.

The input device 1115, in one embodiment, may include any known computerinput device including a touch panel, a button, a keyboard, a stylus, amicrophone, or the like. In some embodiments, the input device 1115 maybe integrated with the output device 1120, for example, as a touchscreenor similar touch-sensitive display. In some embodiments, the inputdevice 1115 includes a touchscreen such that text may be input using avirtual keyboard displayed on the touchscreen and/or by handwriting onthe touchscreen. In some embodiments, the input device 1115 includes twoor more different devices, such as a keyboard and a touch panel.

The output device 1120, in one embodiment, is designed to output visual,audible, and/or haptic signals. In some embodiments, the output device1120 includes an electronically controllable display or display devicecapable of outputting visual data to a user. For example, the outputdevice 1120 may include, but is not limited to, an LCD display, an LEDdisplay, an OLED display, a projector, or similar display device capableof outputting images, text, or the like to a user. As another,non-limiting, example, the output device 1120 may include a wearabledisplay separate from, but communicatively coupled to, the rest of thenetwork apparatus 1100, such as a smart watch, smart glasses, a heads-updisplay, or the like. Further, the output device 1120 may be a componentof a smart phone, a personal digital assistant, a television, a tablecomputer, a notebook (laptop) computer, a personal computer, a vehicledashboard, or the like.

In certain embodiments, the output device 1120 includes one or morespeakers for producing sound. For example, the output device 1120 mayproduce an audible alert or notification (e.g., a beep or chime). Insome embodiments, the output device 1120 includes one or more hapticdevices for producing vibrations, motion, or other haptic feedback. Insome embodiments, all, or portions of the output device 1120 may beintegrated with the input device 1115. For example, the input device1115 and output device 1120 may form a touchscreen or similartouch-sensitive display. In other embodiments, the output device 1120may be located near the input device 1115.

The transceiver 1125 includes at least transmitter 1130 and at least onereceiver 1135. One or more transmitters 1130 may be used to communicatewith the UE, as described herein. Similarly, one or more receivers 1135may be used to communicate with network functions in the PLMN and/orRAN, as described herein. Although only one transmitter 1130 and onereceiver 1135 are illustrated, the network apparatus 1100 may have anysuitable number of transmitters 1130 and receivers 1135. Further, thetransmitter(s) 1130 and the receiver(s) 1135 may be any suitable type oftransmitters and receivers.

FIG. 12 depicts one embodiment of a method 1200 for configuringpositioning measurements and reports, according to embodiments of thedisclosure. In various embodiments, the method 1200 is performed by auser equipment device in a mobile communication network, such as theremote unit 105, the UE 205, and/or the user equipment apparatus 1000,described above. In some embodiments, the method 1200 is performed by aprocessor, such as a microcontroller, a microprocessor, a CPU, a GPU, anauxiliary processing unit, a FPGA, or the like.

In one embodiment, the method 1200 begins and receives 1205, from amobile wireless communication network, a positioning configurationdefining a positioning configuration timeline and a measurement andprocessing time window for the UE. The method 1200, in some embodiments,includes performing 1210 at least one positioning measurement for the UEaccording to the positioning processing timeline in response toreceiving the positioning configuration. The method 1200, in furtherembodiments, includes sending 1215 a positioning measurement reportcomprising the at least one positioning measurement and measurementtimeline performed of the at least one positioning measurement withinthe configured time window from the UE to the mobile wirelesscommunication network, and the method 1200 ends.

FIG. 13 depicts one embodiment of a method 1300 for configuringpositioning measurements and reports, according to embodiments of thedisclosure. In various embodiments, the method 1300 is performed by aLocation Management Function in a mobile communication network, such asthe LMF 144, and/or the network apparatus 1100, described above. In someembodiments, the method 1300 is performed by a processor, such as amicrocontroller, a microprocessor, a CPU, a GPU, an auxiliary processingunit, a FPGA, or the like.

The method 1300 begins and sends 1305, in one embodiment, to a UE, apositioning configuration defining a positioning configuration timelineand a measurement and processing time window for the UE. The method1300, in one embodiment, includes receiving 1310, from the UE device, apositioning measurement report comprising the at least one positioningmeasurement and measurement timeline of the at least one positioningmeasurement performed within the configured time window, and the method1300 ends.

FIG. 14 depicts one embodiment of a method 1400 for configuringpositioning measurements and reports, according to embodiments of thedisclosure. In various embodiments, the method 1400 is performed by auser equipment device in a mobile communication network, such as theremote unit 105, the UE 205, and/or the user equipment apparatus 1000,described above. In some embodiments, the method 1400 is performed by aprocessor, such as a microcontroller, a microprocessor, a CPU, a GPU, anauxiliary processing unit, a FPGA, or the like.

In one embodiment, the method 1400 begins and receives 1405, from amobile wireless communication network, an uplink (“UL”) configured grantconfiguration based on criteria associated with at least one of ameasurement priority order, a positioning latency budget, and apositioning processing timeline for the UE. In one embodiment, themethod 1400 performs 1410 at least one positioning measurement for theUE according to at least one of the measurement priority order and thepositioning processing timeline and generates 1415 a positioningmeasurement report comprising the at least one positioning measurement.

In certain embodiments, the method 1400 sends 1420 the positioningmeasurement report to the mobile wireless communication network usingthe UL configured grant configuration based on an availability ofpositioning-related reference signal measurements based on at least oneof the measurement priority order and the positioning processingtimeline, and the method 1400 ends.

FIG. 15 depicts one embodiment of a method 1300 for configuringpositioning measurements and reports, according to embodiments of thedisclosure. In various embodiments, the method 1300 is performed by aLocation Management Function in a mobile communication network, such asthe LMF 144, and/or the network apparatus 1100, described above. In someembodiments, the method 1300 is performed by a processor, such as amicrocontroller, a microprocessor, a CPU, a GPU, an auxiliary processingunit, a FPGA, or the like.

In one embodiment, the method 1500 begins and sends 1505, to a UserEquipment (“UE”) device, an uplink (“UL”) configured grant configurationbased on criteria associated with at least one of a measurement priorityorder, a positioning latency budget, and a positioning processingtimeline for the UE. In further embodiments, the method 1500 receives1510 a positioning measurement report from the UE device using the ULconfigured grant configuration based on an availability ofpositioning-related reference signal measurements based on at least oneof the measurement priority order and the positioning processingtimeline, and the method 1500 ends.

Disclosed herein is a first apparatus for configuring positioningmeasurements and reports, according to embodiments of the disclosure.The first apparatus may be implemented by a user equipment device in amobile communication network, such as the remote unit 105, the UE 205,and/or the user equipment apparatus 1000, described above.

In one embodiment, the first apparatus includes a transceiver thatreceives, from a mobile wireless communication network, a positioningconfiguration defining a positioning configuration timeline and ameasurement and processing time window for the UE. The positioningconfiguration may include a timeline duration defining when to startperforming measurements, a set of positioning measurements to be takenwithin the configured time window, and a window duration for measuringand processing requested position-relation measurements for the UEaccording to the positioning processing timeline.

In one embodiment, the first apparatus includes a processor thatperforms at least one positioning measurement for the UE according tothe positioning processing timeline in response to receiving thepositioning configuration. In certain embodiments, the transceiver sendsa positioning measurement report comprising the at least one positioningmeasurement and measurement timeline performed of the at least onepositioning measurement within the configured time window from the UE tothe mobile wireless communication network.

In one embodiment, multiple one of configuration timelines andmeasurement and processing timelines may be configured for the UE, andwherein a latency for at least one of a reference signal received power(“RSRP”), a reference signal time difference (“RSTD”), and a UE Rx-Txpositioning measurement within each of the multiple measurement andprocessing timelines may be reported to the mobile wirelesscommunication network.

In one embodiment, the latency may comprise a single value in responseto positioning measurements being performed at a same time and multiplevalues in response to positioning measurements being performedsequentially.

In one embodiment, the transceiver receives pre-configured assistancedata for positioning from the mobile wireless communication networkduring a Long-term evolution Protocol Positioning (“LPP”) session andperforms measurements and processing on the pre-configured assistancedata in response to the transceiver receiving an LPP Request LocationInformation message.

In one embodiment, the transceiver receives the positioningconfiguration from the mobile wireless communication network via abroadcast signal, the positioning configuration designed for a pluralityof UEs with same capabilities.

In one embodiment, the transceiver receives the positioningconfiguration from the mobile wireless communication network via aUE-specific dedicated signal, the UE-specific dedicated signalcomprising an LPP Request Location Information message.

In one embodiment, in response to the UE initiating a positioningreference signal (“PRS”) configuration request, the processor determinesan overall timeline between receiving the configuration request andreceiving the UE's position estimate, the overall timeline comprisingmultiple timelines related to the configuration of assistance data,measurement, processing, and calculation of the UE's position estimate.

In one embodiment, the transceiver sends an on-demand request to themobile wireless communication network to receive downlink-PRS (“DL-PRS”)assistance data in response to at least one of no prior DL-PRS physicallayer configuration stored at the UE, existing DL-PRS configuration isoutdated, and the existing DL-PRS configuration does not meet accuracyrequirements.

In one embodiment, the positioning configuration further comprises a setof measurement gap configurations to be applied by the UE for thepositioning processing timeline, the measurement gap configurationdefining a measurement gap length and a measurement gap length and ameasurement gap repetition period for the positioning processingtimeline.

In one embodiment, the set of measurement gap configurations can bepre-configured in the UE via signaling from the mobile wirelesscommunication network. In one embodiment, the processor processes PRSmeasurements and reports according to a UE PRS processing unit (“PPU”),the UE PPU comprising a number of PPUs that the UE can support for agiven symbol.

In one embodiment, based on the UE's capabilities, the processorperforms parallel processing of the same PRS symbol with respect toother positioning measurements. In one embodiment, the mobile wirelesscommunication network comprises at least one of a base station and alocation management function.

Disclosed herein is a first method for configuring positioningmeasurements and reports, according to embodiments of the disclosure.The first method may be performed by a user equipment device in a mobilecommunication network, such as the remote unit 105, the UE 205, and/orthe user equipment apparatus 1000, described above.

In one embodiment, the first method includes receiving, from a mobilewireless communication network, a positioning configuration defining apositioning configuration timeline and a measurement and processing timewindow for the UE. The positioning configuration may include a timelineduration defining when to start performing measurements, a set ofpositioning measurements to be taken within the configured time window,and a window duration for measuring and processing requestedposition-relation measurements for the UE according to the positioningprocessing timeline.

In one embodiment, the first method includes performing at least onepositioning measurement for the UE according to the positioningprocessing timeline in response to receiving the positioningconfiguration. In certain embodiments, the first method includes sendinga positioning measurement report comprising the at least one positioningmeasurement and measurement timeline performed of the at least onepositioning measurement within the configured time window from the UE tothe mobile wireless communication network.

In one embodiment, multiple one of configuration timelines andmeasurement and processing timelines may be configured for the UE, andwherein a latency for at least one of a reference signal received power(“RSRP”), a reference signal time difference (“RSTD”), and a UE Rx-Txpositioning measurement within each of the multiple measurement andprocessing timelines may be reported to the mobile wirelesscommunication network.

In one embodiment, the latency may comprise a single value in responseto positioning measurements being performed at a same time and multiplevalues in response to positioning measurements being performedsequentially.

In one embodiment, the first method includes receiving pre-configuredassistance data for positioning from the mobile wireless communicationnetwork during a Long-term evolution Protocol Positioning (“LPP”)session and performs measurements and processing on the pre-configuredassistance data in response to the transceiver receiving an LPP RequestLocation Information message.

In one embodiment, the first method includes receiving the positioningconfiguration from the mobile wireless communication network via abroadcast signal, the positioning configuration designed for a pluralityof UEs with same capabilities.

In one embodiment, the first method includes receiving the positioningconfiguration from the mobile wireless communication network via aUE-specific dedicated signal, the UE-specific dedicated signalcomprising an LPP Request Location Information message.

In one embodiment, in response to the UE initiating a positioningreference signal (“PRS”) configuration request, the method includesdetermining an overall timeline between receiving the configurationrequest and receiving the UE's position estimate, the overall timelinecomprising multiple timelines related to the configuration of assistancedata, measurement, processing, and calculation of the UE's positionestimate.

In one embodiment, the first method includes sending an on-demandrequest to the mobile wireless communication network to receivedownlink-PRS (“DL-PRS”) assistance data in response to at least one ofno prior DL-PRS physical layer configuration stored at the UE, existingDL-PRS configuration is outdated, and the existing DL-PRS configurationdoes not meet accuracy requirements.

In one embodiment, the positioning configuration further comprises a setof measurement gap configurations to be applied by the UE for thepositioning processing timeline, the measurement gap configurationdefining a measurement gap length and a measurement gap length and ameasurement gap repetition period for the positioning processingtimeline.

In one embodiment, the set of measurement gap configurations can bepre-configured in the UE via signaling from the mobile wirelesscommunication network. In one embodiment, the first method includesprocessing PRS measurements and reports according to a UE PRS processingunit (“PPU”), the UE PPU comprising a number of PPUs that the UE cansupport for a given symbol.

In one embodiment, based on the UE's capabilities, the first methodincludes performing parallel processing of the same PRS symbol withrespect to other positioning measurements. In one embodiment, the mobilewireless communication network comprises at least one of a base stationand a location management function.

Disclosed herein is a second apparatus for configuring positioningmeasurements and reports, according to embodiments of the disclosure.The second apparatus may be implemented by a base station, e.g., a gNB,a location management function in a mobile communication network, suchas the LMF 144, and/or the network apparatus 1100, described above.

In one embodiment, the second apparatus includes a transceiver thatsends, to a User Equipment (“UE”) device, a positioning configurationdefining a positioning configuration timeline and a measurement andprocessing time window for the UE. In one embodiment, the positioningconfiguration comprising a timeline duration defining when to startperforming measurements, a set of positioning measurements to be takenwithin the configured time window, and a window duration for measuringand processing requested position-relation measurements for the UEaccording to the positioning processing timeline.

In one embodiment, the transceiver receives, from the UE device, apositioning measurement report comprising the at least one positioningmeasurement and measurement timeline of the at least one positioningmeasurement performed within the configured time window. In oneembodiment, the positioning configuration timeline is determined as afunction of different individual timelines associated with configurationof assistance data, measurements, processing, and calculation of theUE's position estimate.

Disclosed herein is a second method for configuring positioningmeasurements and reports, according to embodiments of the disclosure.The second method may be performed by a base station, e.g., a gNB, alocation management function device in a mobile communication network,such as the LMF 144, and/or the network apparatus 1700, described above.

In one embodiment, the second method includes sending, to a UserEquipment (“UE”) device, a positioning configuration defining apositioning configuration timeline and a measurement and processing timewindow for the UE. In one embodiment, the positioning configurationcomprising a timeline duration defining when to start performingmeasurements, a set of positioning measurements to be taken within theconfigured time window, and a window duration for measuring andprocessing requested position-relation measurements for the UE accordingto the positioning processing timeline.

In one embodiment, the second method includes receiving, from the UEdevice, a positioning measurement report comprising the at least onepositioning measurement and measurement timeline of the at least onepositioning measurement performed within the configured time window. Inone embodiment, the positioning configuration timeline is determined asa function of different individual timelines associated withconfiguration of assistance data, measurements, processing, andcalculation of the UE's position estimate.

Disclosed herein is a third apparatus for configuring positioningmeasurements and reports, according to embodiments of the disclosure.The third apparatus may be implemented by a user equipment device in amobile communication network, such as the remote unit 105, the UE 205,and/or the user equipment apparatus 1600, described above.

In one embodiment, the third apparatus includes a transceiver thatreceives, from a mobile wireless communication network, an uplink (“UL”)configured grant configuration based on criteria associated with atleast one of a measurement priority order, a positioning latency budget,and a positioning processing timeline for the UE. In some embodiments,the third apparatus includes a processor that performs at least onepositioning measurement for the UE according to at least one of themeasurement priority order and the positioning processing timeline andgenerates a positioning measurement report comprising the at least onepositioning measurement.

In certain embodiments, the transceiver sends the positioningmeasurement report to the mobile wireless communication network usingthe UL configured grant configuration based on an availability ofpositioning-related reference signal measurements based on at least oneof the measurement priority order and the positioning processingtimeline.

In one embodiment, the UE is configured with a Type 1 UL configuredgrant configuration via radio resource control (“RRC”) signaling forsending the positioning measurement report comprising the at least onepositioning measurement.

In one embodiment, the UE is configured with a Type 2 UL configuredgrant configuration via downlink control information (“DCI”) signalingfor sending the positioning measurement report comprising the at leastone positioning measurement.

In one embodiment, the UL configured grant configuration comprisessignaling information for one or more of an offset, a periodicity, anactivation, a deactivation, and time-frequency resources of thepositioning measurement report comprising the at least one positioningmeasurement.

In one embodiment, the transceiver receives a positioning measurementconfiguration indicating the positioning measurement priority orderbased on the availability of positioning-related reference signalresources, the priority order determined based on at least one of theUE's capabilities, the positioning latency budget, and a locationestimate accuracy. In one embodiment, the processor performs the atleast one positioning measurement and generates the positioningmeasurement report according to the priority order indicated in thepositioning measurement configuration. In one embodiment, thetransceiver sends the positioning measurement report to the mobilewireless communication network using the UL configured grantconfiguration according to the priority order indicated in themeasurement configuration.

In one embodiment, the transceiver receives the positioning measurementconfiguration in response to sending a request for the positioningmeasurement configuration. In one embodiment, the positioningmeasurement priority order is configured by at least one of a locationserver and a base station of the mobile wireless communication network.In one embodiment, the location server exchanges information with thebase station related to the configuration and scheduling of the physicaluplink shared channel (“PUSCH”).

In one embodiment, the transceiver dynamically provides the positioningmeasurement configuration, on-demand, using at least one of radioresource control (“RRC”) signaling and medium access control (“MAC”)control element (“CE”) signaling. In one embodiment, the processor dropsthe positioning-related reference signal measurements to be reported inresponse to at least one of a measurement report size exceeding ULtransmission resource availability, measurements being lower in prioritywith respect to other measurements with higher priority, measurementsbeing one of incomplete and corrupted, and measurements determined to beunreliable in response to not satisfying one or more integrityrequirements.

In one embodiment, the processor drops the positioning-related referencesignal measurements based on at least one of the latency budget and themeasurement and processing timeline.

Disclosed herein is a third method for configuring positioningmeasurements and reports, according to embodiments of the disclosure.The third method may be performed by a user equipment device in a mobilecommunication network, such as the remote unit 105, the UE 205, and/orthe user equipment apparatus 1600, described above.

In one embodiment, the third method includes receiving, from a mobilewireless communication network, an uplink (“UL”) configured grantconfiguration based on criteria associated with at least one of ameasurement priority order, a positioning latency budget, and apositioning processing timeline for the UE. In some embodiments, thethird method includes performing at least one positioning measurementfor the UE according to at least one of the measurement priority orderand the positioning processing timeline and generating a positioningmeasurement report comprising the at least one positioning measurement.

In certain embodiments, the third method includes sending thepositioning measurement report to the mobile wireless communicationnetwork using the UL configured grant configuration based on anavailability of positioning-related reference signal measurements basedon at least one of the measurement priority order and the positioningprocessing timeline.

In one embodiment, the third method includes configuring the UE with aType 1 UL configured grant configuration via radio resource control(“RRC”) signaling for sending the positioning measurement reportcomprising the at least one positioning measurement.

In one embodiment, the third method includes configuring the UE with aType 2 UL configured grant configuration via downlink controlinformation (“DCI”) signaling for sending the positioning measurementreport comprising the at least one positioning measurement.

In one embodiment, the UL configured grant configuration comprisessignaling information for one or more of an offset, a periodicity, anactivation, a deactivation, and time-frequency resources of thepositioning measurement report comprising the at least one positioningmeasurement.

In one embodiment, the third method includes receiving a positioningmeasurement configuration indicating a positioning measurement priorityorder based on the availability of positioning-related reference signalresources, the priority order determined based on at least one of theUE's capabilities, the positioning latency budget, and a locationestimate accuracy. In one embodiment, the third method includesperforming the at least one positioning measurement and generates thepositioning measurement report according to the priority order indicatedin the positioning measurement configuration. In one embodiment, thethird method includes sending the positioning measurement report to themobile wireless communication network using the UL configured grantconfiguration according to the priority order indicated in themeasurement configuration.

In one embodiment, the third method includes receiving the positioningmeasurement configuration in response to sending a request for thepositioning measurement configuration. In one embodiment, thepositioning measurement priority order is configured by at least one ofa location server and a base station of the mobile wirelesscommunication network. In one embodiment, the location server exchangesinformation with the base station related to the configuration andscheduling of the physical uplink shared channel (“PUSCH”).

In one embodiment, the third method includes dynamically providing thepositioning measurement configuration, on-demand, using at least one ofradio resource control (“RRC”) signaling and medium access control(“MAC”) control element (“CE”) signaling. In one embodiment, the thirdmethod includes dropping the positioning-related reference signalmeasurements to be reported in response to at least one of a measurementreport size exceeding UL transmission resource availability,measurements being lower in priority with respect to other measurementswith higher priority, measurements being one of incomplete andcorrupted, and measurements determined to be unreliable in response tonot satisfying one or more integrity requirements.

In one embodiment, the third method includes dropping thepositioning-related reference signal measurements based on at least oneof the latency budget and the measurement and processing timeline.

Disclosed herein is a fourth apparatus for configuring positioningmeasurements and reports, according to embodiments of the disclosure.The fourth apparatus may be implemented by a location managementfunction in a mobile communication network, such as the LMF 144, and/orthe network apparatus 1100, described above.

In one embodiment, the fourth apparatus includes a transceiver thatsends, to a User Equipment (“UE”) device, an uplink (“UL”) configuredgrant configuration based on criteria associated with at least one of ameasurement priority order, a positioning latency budget, and apositioning processing timeline for the UE and receives a positioningmeasurement report from the UE device using the UL configured grantconfiguration based on an availability of positioning-related referencesignal measurements based on at least one of the measurement priorityorder and the positioning processing timeline.

Disclosed herein is a fourth method for configuring positioningmeasurements and reports, according to embodiments of the disclosure.The fourth method may be performed by a location management functiondevice in a mobile communication network, such as the LMF 144, and/orthe network apparatus 1100, described above.

In one embodiment, the fourth method includes sending, to a UserEquipment (“UE”) device, an uplink (“UL”) configured grant configurationbased on criteria associated with at least one of a measurement priorityorder, a positioning latency budget, and a positioning processingtimeline for the UE and receiving a positioning measurement report fromthe UE device using the UL configured grant configuration based on anavailability of positioning-related reference signal measurements basedon at least one of the measurement priority order and the positioningprocessing timeline.

Embodiments may be practiced in other specific forms. The describedembodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrativeand not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicatedby the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. Allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are to be embraced within their scope.

1. An apparatus, comprising: a processor; and a memory coupled with theprocessor, the memory comprising instructions executable by theprocessor to cause the apparatus to: receive, from a mobile wirelesscommunication network, an network configuration based on criteriaassociated with at least one of a measurement priority order, apositioning latency budget, and a positioning processing timeline for auser equipment CUED; perform at least one positioning measurement forthe UE according to at least one of the measurement priority order andthe positioning processing timeline; generate a positioning measurementreport comprising the at least one positioning measurement; and send thepositioning measurement report to the mobile wireless communicationnetwork using the network configuration based on an availability ofpositioning-related reference signal measurements based on at least oneof the measurement priority order and the positioning processingtimeline.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network configurationcomprises a Type 1 uplink (“UL”) configured grant configuration viaradio resource control (“RRC”) signaling for sending the positioningmeasurement report comprising the at least one positioning measurement.3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network configuration comprisesa Type 2 uplink (“UL”) configured grant configuration via downlinkcontrol information (“DCI”) signaling for sending the positioningmeasurement report comprising the at least one positioning measurement.4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network configuration comprisessignaling information for one or more of an offset, a periodicity, anactivation, a deactivation, and time-frequency resources of thepositioning measurement report comprising the at least one positioningmeasurement.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions arefurther executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to: receive apositioning measurement configuration indicating the positioningmeasurement priority order based on the availability ofpositioning-related reference signal resources, the priority orderdetermined based on at least one of the UE's capabilities, thepositioning latency budget, and a location estimate accuracy; performthe at least one positioning measurement and generates the positioningmeasurement report according to the priority order indicated in thepositioning measurement configuration; and send the positioningmeasurement report to the mobile wireless communication network usingthe network configuration according to the priority order indicated inthe measurement configuration.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein theinstructions are further executable by the processor to cause theapparatus to receive the positioning measurement configuration inresponse to sending a request for the positioning measurementconfiguration.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the positioningmeasurement priority order is configured by at least one of a locationserver and a base station of the mobile wireless communication network,the location server exchanging information with the base station relatedto the configuration and scheduling of the physical uplink sharedchannel (“PUSCH”).
 8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the instructionsare further executable by the processor to cause the apparatus todynamically provide the positioning measurement configuration,on-demand, using at least one of radio resource control (“RRC”)signaling and medium access control (“MAC”) control element (“CE”)signaling.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions arefurther executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to drop thepositioning-related reference signal measurements to be reported inresponse to at least one of: a measurement report size exceeding uplink(“UL”) transmission resource availability; measurements being lower inpriority with respect to other measurements with higher priority;measurements being one of incomplete and corrupted; and measurementsdetermined to be unreliable in response to not satisfying one or moreintegrity requirements.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein theinstructions are further executable by the processor to cause theapparatus to drop the positioning-related reference signal measurementsbased on at least one of the latency budget and the measurement andprocessing timeline.
 11. A method, comprising: receiving, from a mobilewireless communication network, network configuration based on criteriaassociated with at least one of a measurement priority order, apositioning latency budget, and a positioning processing timeline for auser equipment (“UE”); performing at least one positioning measurementfor the UE according to at least one of the measurement priority orderand the positioning processing timeline; generating a positioningmeasurement report comprising the at least one positioning measurement;and sending the positioning measurement report to the mobile wirelesscommunication network using the network configuration based on anavailability of positioning-related reference signal measurements basedon at least one of the measurement priority order and the positioningprocessing timeline.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the networkconfiguration comprises signaling information for one or more of anoffset, a periodicity, an activation, a deactivation, and time-frequencyresources of the positioning measurement report comprising the at leastone positioning measurement.
 13. The method of claim 11, furthercomprising: receiving a positioning measurement configuration indicatingthe positioning measurement priority order based on the availability ofpositioning-related reference signal resources, the priority orderdetermined based on at least one of the UE's capabilities, thepositioning latency budget, and a location estimate accuracy; performingthe at least one positioning measurement and generating the positioningmeasurement report according to the priority order indicated in thepositioning measurement configuration; and sending the positioningmeasurement report to the mobile wireless communication network usingthe network configuration according to the priority order indicated inthe measurement configuration.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein thepositioning measurement priority order is configured by at least one ofa location server and a base station of the mobile wirelesscommunication network, the location server exchanging information withthe base station related to the configuration and scheduling of thephysical uplink shared channel (“PUSCH”).
 15. An apparatus, comprising:a processor; and a memory coupled with the processor, the memorycomprising instructions executable by the processor to cause theapparatus to: send, to a User Equipment (“UE”) device, networkconfiguration based on criteria associated with at least one of ameasurement priority order, a positioning latency budget, and apositioning processing timeline for the UE; and receive a positioningmeasurement from the UE device using the network configuration based onan availability of positioning-related reference signal measurementsbased on at least one of the measurement priority order and thepositioning processing timeline.
 16. The method of claim 11, wherein thenetwork configuration comprises a Type 1 uplink (“UL”) configured grantconfiguration via radio resource control (“RRC”) signaling for sendingthe positioning measurement report comprising the at least onepositioning measurement.
 17. The method of claim 11, wherein the networkconfiguration comprises a Type 2 uplink (“UL”) configured grantconfiguration via downlink control information (“DCI”) signaling forsending the positioning measurement report comprising the at least onepositioning measurement.
 18. The method of claim 13, further comprisingreceiving the positioning measurement configuration in response tosending a request for the positioning measurement configuration.
 19. Themethod of claim 13, further comprising dynamically providing thepositioning measurement configuration, on-demand, using at least one ofradio resource control (“RRC”) signaling and medium access control(“MAC”) control element (“CE”) signaling.
 20. The method of claim 11,further comprising dropping the positioning-related reference signalmeasurements to be reported in response to at least one of: ameasurement report size exceeding uplink (“UL”) transmission resourceavailability; measurements being lower in priority with respect to othermeasurements with higher priority; measurements being one of incompleteand corrupted; and measurements determined to be unreliable in responseto not satisfying one or more integrity requirements.